Never Doubt the Heart of a Yami
by Jincks
Summary: Bakura is tortured. He hates his life and wants to end it...The only thing that's stopping him is his deep love for his Yami. (NOT A YAOI!)(FINISHED!)
1. Sensei Yami

Never Doubt The Heart of a Yami  
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Disclaimer: (I know, we hate them! They're just like commercials, but I have to put it here, so live with it!) I do not own any of the Yu-Gi-Oh characters! I claim the first amendment, freedom of speech! (There I said it it's done and over with! Now that wasn't so bad, was it?)  
  
Chapter 1  
Sensei Yami  
  
The school bell rung, finally school was out for the summer. Yugi, a kind of short 9th grader with spiky multi colored hair, leaped into the air with great joy. He met up with his friends outside in the schoolyard, Tea, a girl with brown hair and brown eyes that Yugi secretly had a crush on, Joey, a blonde boy with brown eyes, Tristan, a tall brown haired brown eyed boy who was best friends with Joey, and Bakura, A 15 year old who had white hair and dark brown eyes and was very shy and withdrawn.  
  
"Great school year, wasn't it guys?" Yugi said practically skipping out of the building.  
  
Tea cleared her throat, "I'm not a guy!"  
  
Yugi turned to her, "I'm sorry Tea."  
  
"Great school year?" Tristan exclaimed, "This was the best school year of my life!"  
  
Joey danced around happily and was chanting, "No more school, no more school, no more school..."  
  
Bakura stood quietly in the shadows; a small smile marked his lips. His large, dark eyes gleamed brightly.  
  
"Come on, I'll buy you all a chocolate malt." Tea yelled starting to run down the street. Yugi, Tristan, and Joey followed but Bakura stayed behind. None of them noticed that Bakura wasn't tagging along.  
  
Bakura slowly stepped out of the shadows and began to walk to his home. He heard a loud voice from behind him, "Going somewhere, pretty-boy?" Bakura turned on his heal to see the group of bullies that had teased him and beat him throughout the school year.  
  
Bakura started to step away from them. Though his heart raced he summoned the courage to talk back to them, "To bloody hell with you!" Bakura said in his light British accent, trying to hide his fear, even though you could clearly see his shirt vibrating with his racing pulse. "It's the end of school. Give me a break! Why don't you go celebrate or something?!"  
  
The leader of the group of bullies looked at Bakura, "You're right, we should celebrate. Let's celebrate by killing ourselves a pretty-boy!" He chuckled. The bullies' group members chuckled too. They started to approach Bakura. Bakura would have run the other way if there weren't a fence to block his path.  
  
Bakura stood his ground, knowing there was no other way to get away from the bullies then to fight. The bullies proceeded closer. Bakura stared at them, his eyes full of fear. The head bully grabbed Bakura by the collar of his uniform and held him up against the fence. Bakura struggled to get away, but he couldn't.  
  
"Stop squirming," The bully yelled. He punched Bakura hard in the chest. A large cracking noise came from Bakura's body. Bakura stopped moving. "Woops", the bully said smiling, "I think I broke the pretty-boy!"  
  
Bakura stayed silent though his eyes filled with pain. The bully frowned, "Why you not screamin'?!" The bully pulled a knife from his pocket, "Maybe this will get you screamin'!"  
  
Bakura's eyes widened he stared at the knife. He knew that if the bully didn't kill him his heart would explode because it was moving at such a fast pace. The bully still looked disappointed, "Scream already!" Out of anger the bully swiped the knife across Bakura's arm. Bakura's dark, red blood fountained out of the wound and splashed everywhere. But, Bakura was too weak from fear to scream.  
  
At this point, the bully was so frustrated he placed the knife's point over Bakura's throbbing heart. A shape left Bakura's body. All the bullies stared at the dark shape as it took form. It became, what looked like, an older form of Bakura. The older form began to speak, "Wanna fight?! Come fight me!" The older form's eyes glowed with an evil looking red light.  
  
The bullies' faces went pale. The older Bakura made a dark energy ball the size of a ping-pong ball in his hand. He launched it at the head bully who held Bakura in one hand and the bloody knife in the other hand. The small energy ball sent the bully flying. Bakura fell to the ground and clutched his arm. The head bully got up, turned tail and ran. The other members of the bullies' gang followed.  
  
Bakura looked up and smiled weakly at his Yami form. Bakura got up and was about to hug Yami Bakura and thank him for saving his life. Yami Bakura slapped Bakura with the back of his hand. Bakura stared at his Yami.  
  
The Yami form of Bakura spoke, "You idiot! How could you let that bully walk all over you? Didn't you learn a thing from my teachings?!"  
  
Bakura looked at him, "But sensei (that means teacher in Japanese), your teachings are brutal beatings."  
  
Yami Bakura slapped Bakura harder, "Don't give me that sensei crap! You will address me as Yami Bakura! And my teaching method is just fine! It's you that can't take my lessons! How will you ever learn to use your dark energy if you refuse to learn?!" Yami Bakura kicked Bakura in the shin, bringing him down. "We will train harder, starting tonight!" With that, Yami Bakura disappeared into the millennium ring that dangled from Bakura's neck.  
  
Bakura looked down at the ground. Dark red blood pooled around his hand. A single tear fell from his eye and landed on his cut. The salt-water tear burned Bakura's cut causing it to hurt more, but the pain that he felt in arm couldn't compare with the greater pain that he felt in his heart.  
  
Bakura slowly stood, he clutched his bleeding arm and began to walk home, heavy heartedly. 


	2. Learning To Trust Again

Chapter 2  
Learning to Trust Again  
  
Bakura arrived at his aunts' home. He was living with her because he was an exchange student from Great Britian. He looked up the stairs to the porch and started to climb up to it. As he entered his aunt's small house, his aunt rushed over to him. She was his uncle's widow, and she was not a very nice person.   
  
"Where have you been?! Partying and getting drunk no doubt! Bakura, you're bleeding all over my clean floor! Go upstairs and wash that off!" Bakura's aunt hit him on the back with a fly swatter, "And don't forget to wash the bathtub out when you're done!" She called after him as he walked towards the basement.  
  
Bakura gave a small sigh and answered, "Yes ma'am." He walked into his room in the basement, and took out a clean pair of clothes. He went into the bathroom upstairs, and put the pair of clean clothes on the floor. He ran the water for a bath, took off his now blood stained clothes, and climbed in. The water started to cloud with his blood. He lied back and thought of all that had happened.  
  
'I was almost killed,' he thought to himself. 'Luckily, Yami Bakura came to save me...or was it really lucky?' Bakura closed his eyes and thought harder, 'Why would Yami Bakura save me? He doesn't even like me. Even my aunt hates me. Why bother living if you are not loved. Maybe saving me is more of Yami Bakura's torture...' Bakura's thoughts were cut short by his aunts' angry voice.   
  
"Bakura! Hurry up in there! This isn't some kind of pleasure vacation!"  
  
Bakura stopped thinking and opened his eyes; he quickly started to clean himself with the bar of soap. He shampooed his bloody hair and rinsed it. Bakura climbed out of the bathtub and let out the blood red water. After putting on the fresh pair of clothes, he quickly wrapped gauze around his still bleeding wound. He cleaned the pinkish tub as best as he could and left the bathroom with his bloody uniform under his arm. Bakura left the house. He walked over to the garbage pail and removed the lid.  
  
"Hi Bakura!" Said a familiar voice behind him. Bakura spun around, it was Yugi. He had rode over on his bike. "Bakura why weren't you at the diner with us?" Yugi asked. He saw the blood stained clothes under Bakura's arm, "Bakura, is that blood, your blood?"  
  
Bakura looked down at the red and blue uniform, "It was only a scratch. And don't worry, this uniform was getting a little too small for me."  
  
Yugi looked up at his white haired, young friend with a frown on his face, "Bakura, I don't care about the uniform. I care about you."  
  
Bakura looked down at his arm. The gauze bulged under his sleeve. He dropped the uniform in the garbage can and put the lid back on. "After you left, I stayed behind. I was attacked, but Yami Bakura saved me. But he was angry with me too." Bakura looked down at his feet.  
  
"I'm sorry, Bakura." Yugi said, feeling really bad for his friend.  
  
Bakura looked up at Yugi and smiled weakly, "Would you like to come in?"  
  
Yugi smiled back, "Alright! Sure! Can I see your room?"  
Bakura frowned, "If you really want to..."  
  
Both Yugi and Bakura walked into the house. Bakura took Yugi into the basement. Yugi looked around, "Bakura, weren't we going to your room?"  
  
Bakura looked at Yugi, "Yugi, this is my room." Bakura pushed away some boxes to reveal a cleared out area. In the clearing sat an old busted bed with torn sheets and no blankets. Against the wall was a small desk with papers sprawled out on it, and also an old battery powered radio on it. A wooden milk crate sat next to the small desk with a cushion placed on top of it, like it was used as a seat. A small burro sat to the right of the desk, most of the handles on it were missing. A small window was the only source of light, other than a small light bulb that hung from the ceiling.  
  
Yugi looked in amazement at Bakura's living conditions. "You actually live like this?!"  
  
Bakura nodded his head sadly. Bakura's aunts' voice broke the silence, "Bakura! Get up here now!" Bakura turned around, "I'll be back in a moment, please stay here." Bakura climbed the stairs and out of sight.  
  
Yugi looked around, he turned and sat down on Bakura's bed. Something hard poked him. He got up and pulled whatever it was out from the covers. It was a book, Bakura's journal. Yugi held it and looked at it. He knew he shouldn't, but he was very curious and opened the book.  
  
Yugi's eyes skimmed through the pages full of Bakura's handwriting. His eyes widened. He was in such shock that he started to read it out loud. "Dear Journal, Another day has passed by me. Another night of torture is to begin. Yami Bakura's training is going to kill me if I don't kill myself first. You are the only one I can talk to, no one can be trusted. I'm trying not to fall asleep because Yami Bakura haunts my dreams, but I am so tired. His beatings stick in my mind, I can still feel his fist on my back from where he hit me. I can still feel the warmth of my blood trickling down my back. I can still feel the stinging in my eyes like I'm going to cry. And I can still hear his laughter, which hurts most of all. I fear him so. Why does he do this to me? I thought he was supposed to protect me, but I was wrong. He is like a curse, and I can't get rid of him. My heart aches badly; I think it might stop beating. I wish it would so I would not have to deal with the pain it gives me, which is worse than Yami Bakura's beatings..."  
  
Bakura was walking down the stairs and heard Yugi reading his Journal entries, "Yugi," he said, rushing down the stairs. "Please don't read that!"  
  
Yugi stood there and held the book out, "Bakura, that was last nights' entry. You were planning suicide?" His face was in a frown.  
  
Bakura took the book and put it under his pillow, "Yeah...well...so what if I am, it's not like it matters."  
  
Yugi looked a Bakura sadly, "It matters to me..."  
  
Bakura started to wince as if he was about to cry, he sat on the bed and Yugi sat next to him. "I'm sorry Yugi..." Bakura started to breath deeply and he buried his head in his hands, "I just don't know what to do." Small tears dripped between his fingers.  
  
"Would talking help?" Yugi looked over at Bakura, "Please Bakura, you can trust me. I promise."  
  
Bakura sat up and looked at Yugi. He wiped the tears off his face with his sleeve. "After my mother died, my father started drinking, and he would beat me if he was really drunk. That's when I discovered Yami Bakura. He told me that we were meant to be together and he promised to protect me and always be there for me. Being a boy of only ten, I believed him, I even looked up to him as an older brother, even a father. I let him take over and I let him do awful things. At first, I didn't see what was happening, but soon it became apparent to me. Yami Bakura became my curse, and I couldn't stop him." Bakura bent over and began to weep softly again.  
  
Yugi edged closer to Bakura, "I had no idea, I'm so sorry, Bakura." Yugi rubbed his hand over Bakura's back. Strangely, Bakura's back felt very craggy. "Bakura, what's wrong with you back?"  
  
Bakura sat up, "Do you want to see?" He said sadly.  
  
Yugi looked at Bakura, "Only if you want to show me."  
  
Bakura stood up and took off his shirt. He turned around so Yugi could see his back. Yugi stood up and stared in amazement. "What has he done to you?"  
  
Bakura's back was covered in hundreds of scars of all different shapes and sizes. Some of them hadn't even healed properly. They were clear-cut and easily seen. Bakura's skin was stretched tightly over the frame of his body, showing every bone, and every muscle.  
  
His build wasn't bad for someone as thin as him. All the work he had done for his aunt had made his muscles stronger.  
Yugi rubbed his hand over Bakura's scarred back. Yugi put his hand into one of the scars, it was so deep, he could almost insert his whole hand into it. Bakura shuttered. Yugi stopped, "Am I hurting you?"  
  
"Not at all," Bakura said. "It's just that...You don't know how long it's been since a human hand has touched me gently like that."  
  
Yugi started to weep, he couldn't even imagine what kind of pain Bakura may have suffered through. But, something else caught his eye. On Bakura's left shoulder blade was a tattoo. It was clearly a tattoo of a dragon even though a couple of scars covered it. "You have a tattoo?" Yugi said, quiet tears still dripping down his cheeks.  
  
"Yes," Bakura said, "Yami Bakura burned it on me."  
Yugi continued to rub his fingers in and out of the scars on Bakura's back. Bakura shuttered again. "Sorry," Yugi said.  
  
"No, I'm fine," Bakura said. "Believe it or not, I'm actually enjoying what you are doing."  
  
Yugi's attention drifted away from Bakura's scars and to his back and turned to his ribs. "Bakura, you're so thin. Have you been eating properly?" Yugi ran his hand up and down Bakura's side. Bakura's ribs stuck out and you could count every single one. Strangely, as Yugi's soft hand rubbed over one of Bakura's protruding ribs, it sunk down into Bakura's body, even with the light pressure Yugi was applying. Bakura cringed and let out a soft and painful gasp.  
  
Yugi pulled his hand back, "I'm so sorry Bakura! I hurt you."  
  
"It's alright, Yugi." Bakura said, cupping his hand over his wounded rib. "Today, after school...The bullies hit me...I'll be fine, it's just a little sore, that's all."  
"Bakura, that rib is broken. And some of these scars on your back aren't healing properly. Bakura, you really need to see a doctor," Yugi's soft tears dripped off his chin and landed in a pool at his feet.  
  
"I can't Yugi. They wouldn't do anything for me." Bakura turned around to see Yugi's tears. He knelt down on one knee so that he was about Yugi's height. He put a pale hand on Yugi's shoulder and looked into Yugi's tearing eyes. "Yugi," he said in a soft whisper, "Why are you crying?"  
  
Yugi had never seen Bakura's face this close before. He noticed small, hard-to-see scars covered Bakura's pale cheekbones, which stuck out slightly because of his slenderness. Yugi looked at the scars in disbelief. "I'm crying for you, Bakura," Yugi whimpered. "I can't imagine what kind of pain you went through. What has Yami Bakura been doing to you?" Tears continued to fall.  
  
Bakura looked into Yugi's eyes deeply. Yugi stared back into Bakura's dark eyes. "Yugi," Bakura said, "Please don't cry for me, I'm not worth your tears." Yugi stared strait into Bakura's eyes. When Yugi had first met Bakura at the beginning of the school year, he always found that Bakura's eyes were always very lively. Now as he looked into the eyes of his friend, he found that they were slightly clouded and filled with pain and suffering.  
  
Yugi lightly rubbed his hand over the scars on Bakura's face. "You're worth a lot more than my tears, you deserve so much better. I can't bear to see you treated like a worthless animal."  
  
A single tear fell from Bakura's eye and dripped onto Yugi's small hand. His lips drew up in a small smile and he closed his eyes. "Yugi, I thank you. You have just lifted a great deal of pain from my heart. You've made me happier now than I have been in a long time."  
  
Yugi thought about the words that Bakura had said, 'I did hardly anything. If what I did made him really happy, than he must live in agony!' Though he managed a weak smile, the tears started to flow even more.   
  
A yell from the kitchen broke the silence; it was the voice of Bakura's aunt, "Bakura! Why are you not up here making dinner?!"  
  
Bakura stood up and opened his eyes. "I'll let you out the back way," Bakura said leading Yugi to some stairs. Bakura opened the large metal doors and pushed Yugi out.   
  
"Thank you Yugi," he said in a slight whisper, "You should leave now. My aunt doesn't like visitors." Bakura closed the metal doors behind him as he ascended back into the basement.  
  
Yugi stood there stunned for a second, but as soon as he snapped out of it, he heeded Bakura's advise and left. 


	3. Truth Hurts

Chapter 3  
Truth Hurts  
  
Half an hour later, Bakura stood in the kitchen, placing dinner on the table in front of his aunt. He sat down at an empty place at the table and watched her eat. "Aunty, do you love me?" He suddenly blurted out.  
  
Bakura's aunt finished chewing and looked at him. In a harsh voice she said, "Bakura, we've been through this before. Is it my job to love you?"  
  
"No..." Bakura looked down.  
  
"Then that answers your question." Bakura's aunt began to eat again.  
  
"Why can't you just give me a straight answer? Yes or no..."  
  
Bakura's aunt's face turned sour, "You want the answer, Bakura? Fine, I don't love you!"  
  
"Why not?" Bakura looked up sadly.  
  
At this point Bakura's aunt was very annoyed, "God damn it, Bakura! Get downstairs! I don't want to even look at you!" She got up and pushed Bakura down into the basement. "And don't think your getting any dinner tonight either!" She said slamming and locking the door.  
  
Bakura reached up and pulled the cord to turn on the light. He sat on his bed and took out his journal. He began to write:  
  
'Dear Journal,  
  
Today was the last day of school. That group of bullies beat me again. They broke one of my ribs and sliced my arm. Yami Bakura came to save me, but when I tried to thank him, he hit me too. Afterwards Yugi dropped by. He came inside and saw my "room." He actually made me happy, and though my heart still aches badly, it doesn't hurt as much anymore.  
  
I asked my aunt if she loved me and she said no. She became really angry with me and she locked me in the basement and told me that I wasn't going to get any dinner. I'm hungry, but I guess I'll have to go another night without food, like last night, and the night before.  
  
I'm going to end this journal entry with a poem...  
  
The end is near, I feel it in my heart  
The time is coming, I've played out my part  
My torture, my suffering, why has it not ended  
My life is in pieces, and can never be mended  
I feel like I'm worthless, alone and forgot  
Here in the basement, is where I shall rot  
My heart is dying, it's beat almost gone  
And my body shall be found, lifeless by dawn'  
  
Bakura put his Journal back under his pillow. He stood and turned the light off and lied back down in his bed. Though he didn't want to go to sleep, he could feel his eyelids growing heavy. Finally his world darkened and the torture was about to begin. 


	4. Bakura's Torture

Chapter 4  
Bakura's Torture  
  
Bakura's eyes opened. He was standing somewhere in the dark. He knew he wasn't in his room anymore.  
  
"Bakura! Nice to see you..." A deep and familiar voice growled from behind Bakura.  
  
Bakura spun around. He saw a pair of glowing red eyes in the darkness that could only belong to one person, Yami Bakura.  
  
Yami Bakura stepped out of the shadows and closer to Bakura, "Training shall now begin!" His eyes stopped glowing and an evil grin appeared on his face. "Now...launch a dark energy ball at me!"  
  
Bakura quivered but did as he was told. Bakura opened his hand and began to make a dark energy ball. Sweat ran down his face as he put more and more of his energy into the ball. He finally launched the dark energy ball, which was as big as a tennis ball, at Yami Bakura.  
  
Yami Bakura put his hand up and caught it. He squeezed it till it disappeared. "What was that?!" Yami Bakura's grin was now a frown; he growled viciously at Bakura, "Do you want to see an energy ball?! I'll show you an energy ball!" Immediately he formed a ball ten times the size of Bakura's and launched it at him.  
  
Bakura covered his face with his arms. The energy ball hit him with great force. It sent him flying backwards. He lied on the ground. Tears dripped silently from his eyes. Everything seemed to hurt.  
  
"Get up!" Yami Bakura walked over, "I said get up!" He kicked Bakura in the ribs. The force of the kick sent Bakura's broken rib far into his chest. Bakura hollered in pain.   
  
Yami Bakura looked at him, "What's wrong with you? I didn't even kick you that hard!" Yami Bakura bent down and felt Bakura's ribs. One of the ribs descended into Bakura's body as Yami Bakura touched it. Bakura cringed.  
  
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed, "I see what's wrong with you!" Yami Bakura got up and kicked Bakura in the ribs again. The broken rib, again, descended into Bakura's body, Bakura howled like a wounded dog. His breathing was deep and sweat ran down his face.  
  
Yami Bakura didn't seem to react to Bakura's pain. He turned his back on Bakura and said, "Look what you've done to our body! My training hasn't taught you anything!"  
  
Bakura slowly lifted his head, "Please Yami Bakura. Give me another chance."  
  
"And how many chances have I given you so far?" Yami Bakura spun around and looked angrily at Bakura. "I have given you too many already, you don't deserve more!"  
  
More tears dripped down Bakura's face. "Please," He said in a whisper, "Please, Yami Bakura."  
  
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed more. He grabbed Bakura by the coiler and lifted him over his head. Yami Bakura stared with cold, unfeeling eyes at Bakura. "Your lucky! I'm giving you another chance out of the kindness of my heart..." Yami Bakura smiled deviously, "If I even have one!" He put Bakura down and grabbed Bakura's arm where the bully's knife had cut him. Black flames made of dark energy started to come from Yami Bakura's hand. Bakura sobbed as the dark flames burned through the wrapped bandages and licked his wound.  
  
"May that be a lesson in itself," Yami Bakura hissed. He let go of Bakura's arm and the flames subsided.  
  
Bakura clutched his arm and tears rolled down his face. Blood dripped from between his fingers. "Yes sir..." Bakura said looking down.  
  
Yami Bakura dipped his fingers in the blood that fell on the floor. He then licked it off. Bakura looked up and watched in horror. Yami Bakura looked back, an evil grin on his face, "What? I'm just having a little snack before we continue!"  
  
Bakura looked at Yami Bakura's now bloody teeth. His lips curled up as he smiled, revealing his canines, which were sharp and pointy and made him look like he was a vampire. That and the pale, milky white skin that was the same color as Bakura's. Bakura shivered, "You...drink blood?"  
  
Yami Bakura continued to smile as if he drank the blood, just to creep Bakura out. "Why not?" He said, now licking the blood off his teeth. He chuckled evilly. "So," he continued, "Let's proceed with your training!" He stared at Bakura with a devious look.  
  
Bakura shivered more. He did not want to proceed with his training; he didn't even want to be there in the first place. He knew, however, if he refused, Yami Bakura would torture him worse. Slowly Bakura nodded, knowing that was his only choice.  
  
The gruesome training began again. "Come on sissy boy! Bring it on," Yami Bakura mocked, as Bakura struggled to do his best.  
  
Bakura tried hard to make another dark energy ball. His energy was running quite low and he couldn't summon enough strength to complete the energy ball. He released the energy ball because he couldn't hold it anymore. The energy ball, slightly larger than the last, hurtled towards Yami Bakura.  
  
Yami Bakura moved out of the way effortlessly and the ball that Bakura had worked so hard on disappeared in the distance. "That was weak! You are weak!" Yami Bakura stared at Bakura with intensive eyes. "You deserve this treatment!" Yami Bakura fired a small energy ball at Bakura's collarbone. Bakura was so weak and low on energy that he fell to his knees.  
  
"A tiny dark energy ball made you fall to your knees?! How weak are you?!" Yami Bakura walked up right next to Bakura and kicked him in the face.  
  
Bakura covered his face with his hands. Luckily, Yami Bakura hadn't kicked Bakura too hard and his face wasn't bleeding, but that hadn't been the end of Bakura's torture.  
  
"Get up weakling," Yami Bakura hissed. He grabbed Bakura by the coiler and pulled him to his feet. "You are so weak," He yelled in Bakura's face. "Sniveling fool! Plead for your life!" Yami Bakura hit his palm into Bakura's side sending Bakura's rib far into his body.  
  
Bakura couldn't hold back, he started yelling in pain and tears poured from his eyes. "Please Yami," He said between sobs, "Have mercy!" Bakura's crying was answered by Yami Bakura's cold-hearted laughter.   
  
The laughter hurt Bakura worse than anything. It tore into his heart like a frozen knife.  
  
"You are such a wimp," Yami Bakura said and threw Bakura on his face, hard against the ground. Yami Bakura continued his laughing and walked back off into the shadows. He and his laughing faded and Bakura was alone. 


	5. Starving

Chapter 5  
Starving  
  
Bakura opened his eyes to be comforted by the familiar environment of the basement. The bandage that had been on his arm had been burned off and his injury was bleeding profusely. It was dark in the basement; apparently the sun had not risen yet.  
  
Bakura sat up and held his bleeding arm. The blood dripped from between his fingers. He ripped off a strip of his bed sheet and wrapped it around his arm like a bandage. He felt as if a car had struck him. Placing his feet on the cold, hard floor, he thought that if he could feel Yami Bakura's heart, it would feel like that, cold and hard.  
  
Bakura put on some clean clothes and headed up stairs yawning. He jiggled the doorknob and was surprised to find the door unlocked. Walking into the kitchen, he noticed in the dim light of dawn, the clock on the wall. It was a little after 5:00 in the morning. Bakura sat at the kitchen table and ran his fingers through his long silvery white hair, which shined in the pale light of the morning sun that had begun to come up over the horizon.  
  
Realizing that if his aunt got up he would have no time to himself, Bakura began to ponder. "Why does this happen to me? Why doesn't Yami Bakura love me? Why does he hurt me? Maybe he doesn't understand that he is hurting me...not just physically, but in my heart too. I wish I could show him how I feel. And why does it feel like my heart is dying when he seems so cold? What is that feeling? Why does it hurt so much? It feels similar to the way I felt when my mother died...I loved her so much. But why do I feel this way with him? Why do I love my Yami, I have no reason to...he only causes me pain. He says that emotions make me weak...can it be true?"  
  
A memory of Yami Bakura's face appeared in Bakura's mind, laughing at him. Bakura squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands on his chest. He fell off the chair and lied on the floor. "It hurts so much," Bakura thought to himself. "My heart's gonna burst if this keeps up," He said out loud, opening his eyes and gazing up at the ceiling.  
  
He lied there for a few minuets, just staring at the ceiling and wishing he could die right there before he got up. Looking around the small kitchen he noted that the sink was full of dirty dishes in need of washing. Bakura washed the dishes with a sad look that could depress even the happiest of people. He began to cook breakfast for his aunt, an omelet, he didn't particularly like eggs but he knew that it didn't matter because he wouldn't be eating it anyways. He laid out the breakfast just as he heard his aunt stumbling down the stairs in her usual morning way.  
  
Although he was not very fond of his aunt and he did not love her, he greeted her with a small and fake smile. She looked at him suspiciously, "What's wrong with you? Why are you gawking at me like that, Boy?" Her voice was marked with a harsh tone.  
  
Bakura's fake smile faded and he turned away so as not to look her in the face. "Nothing is wrong, ma'am," Bakura said softly in his mild mannered voice. He began to clean the kitchen.  
  
She watched him cautiously as she sat down and began to eat her omelet. Bakura just kept cleaning the kitchen, he didn't care that she thought he was trying something tricky he knew he wasn't.  
"You're such a good boy." Bakura herd his aunt say sarcastically behind his back. "You take such good care of your poor old aunty." She got up and opened the refrigerator. "You deserve something...a reward." She started to dig through the refrigerator.  
  
Out of curiosity Bakura turned around and watched his aunt rummage through the refrigerator. She pulled out the bone of the steak she had been eating for dinner the night before. Small strips of meat still hung from bone. "Want this?" She held the steak bone under Bakura's noise so that he could smell it.  
  
Bakura tried not to think about how hungry he was but it was no use, he had not eaten in 3 days and now he could smell food and it was just within his reach. As he slowly outstretched his hand to take the steak bone, she smiled deviously and pulled it away. Bakura look at her sadly, he could feel the emptiness in his stomach.  
  
"I'll give it to you if you promise to do something for me..." She wiggled the steak bone in Bakura's face. "You have to weed the garden." Bakura nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the bone. Bakura's aunt smiled, "Good boy!" She handed the steak bone to Bakura and continued with her own breakfast.  
  
Bakura grazed on whatever meat was left on the bone. Bakura thought that it felt good to finally eat something, though it wasn't much.  
  
Bakura was hard at work out in the garden after he had finished what his aunt called breakfast. The now risen sun beat upon his back. Sweat and dirt dripped down his face as he tore the weeds from the earth with his bare hands. The weeds were horrible green plants with thorns sticking out of the stems. The sharp thorns on the plants tore at Bakura's hands. The skin on his hands was torn and blood oozed out of the deep slits made by the plants he was pulling.  
  
Bakura knew that just because his body was laboring, his mind didn't have to. His mind wandered away from the torture and pain his body was going through and settled down in a nice place far away. Thoughts of his mother before she died and his family together before he even knew of his Yami, before anything bad had happened and he was happy and healthy. Those were the thoughts that kept him going.  
  
About 3 hours passed, the garden was lovely with its many flowers and not a single weed. Bakura stood back and gazed at his work. His body was drenched with a mixture of sweat, blood, and soil. His face was red and he breathed heavily as if he had just run the mile. Apparently he was overheated and was suffering from sunstroke.  
  
Bakura's aunt came to look at his work. "It will do..." Bakura's aunt said in a cold manner. Bakura looked back at her, blood, sweat, and dirt dripping off him. Bakura's aunt looked at him with unfeeling eyes. "Have some water. I will allow you one cup." She held out a glass filled only half way with water.  
  
Bakura walked up to his aunt and took the glass gratefully. "Thank you," He said looking into the glass of water. He slowly began to drink the water, which wasn't even cold. He finished what was in the glass and gave it back to her.  
  
"I have nothing left for you to do," Bakura's aunt said taking the glass.   
"You can go do anything you want as long as you don't come back into the house. Just be back in time to cook dinner. Now get out of my sight!" Bakura's aunt went back into the house and slammed the door in his face.  
  
Bakura stood, staring at the door for a moment but finally walked off. He strolled down the side of the street. To where he was going, he was not certain; all he knew was that he was dripping with this nasty mixture of sweat, blood, and earth.  
  
"Bakura," A friendly voice called from behind Bakura. Bakura looked over his back to see Yugi's friendly face. Yugi was sitting on his bike; next to him were Joey and Tristan on their bikes. Yugi looked concerned, "Bakura, what is all over you?"  
  
Bakura shoved his scoured hands into his pockets and turned to face them. "I was doing some work for my aunt. It's just sweat and dirt," Bakura smiled nervously.  
  
"Wait up, Guys," Tea called, rolling up behind Joey, Tristan, and Yugi on her roller blades.  
  
"Hurry up then," Tristan said. Tea looked confused.  
Yugi got off his bike and walked up closer to Bakura. "Bakura," Yugi said, "Why is that stuff on you a reddish tint?"  
  
Bakura tried to think up a good excuse but he couldn't think of any. All that was left to tell was the truth. "It's blood," Bakura said looking away.  
  
"Oh Bakura..." Yugi looked extremely concerned now, "Why are you covered in it? Where did it come from?"  
  
Bakura slowly pulled his still bleeding hands from his pockets, "I was pulling weeds..."  
  
Yugi, Tristan, Joey, and Tea stared wide-eyed at Bakura's chopped up hands.   
  
Tea covered her eyes, "I can't stand the sight of blood!"  
  
Joey turned around, "Shut up TŽa. Bakura needs our help here."  
  
"Why didn't you use gloves if you were pulling weeds?" Tristan asked.  
  
Bakura looked down at his bloody, cut covered hands, "My aunt doesn't want me to get her gloves messed up, so she doesn't let me use them."  
  
Yugi looked at Bakura with tears growing in his eyes, "Bakura, how can you be treated like this?"  
  
Bakura looked at Yugi and then at all the others, "I'm alright, it doesn't hurt." Bakura knew it was a lie because each and every slit in his skin stung and burned in the heat of the sun.  
  
"It looks like it hurts..." TŽa said, uncovering her eyes and forcing herself to look at Bakura's hands. She shuddered at the sight of his blood.  
  
"Really," Bakura continued, "I'll be fine, just a few little cuts, that's all. Go have fun." Bakura turned and attempted to walk away, but Yugi grabbed Bakura's sleeve. Bakura turned back around to see Yugi, on the verge of crying.  
  
"Please Bakura...let me help you..." Yugi said, breathing like he was about to cry at any moment.  
  
Bakura took a deep breath, "Alright Yugi, but I don't think that there's anything that you can do..."  
  
"Come on Bakura," Yugi said turning his bike around, "You can take a shower at my house and I'll wash your clothes for you."  
  
"Really, you don't have to..."  
  
"Don't be so modest, Bakura," Tristan said, getting off his bike and turning it around.  
  
"Yeah, come on Bakura, we're tryin' to help ya here." Joey got off his bike, turned it around, and began to walk it to Yugi's house along with Yugi, and Tristan.  
  
"Please Bakura, you don't want to be covered in that nasty stuff, do you?" Tea spun around on her skates and followed Yugi, Tristan, and Joey.  
  
"Not really..." Bakura said quietly as he began to follow. 


	6. The Image In The Mirror

Chapter 6  
The Image In The Mirror  
  
"So," Yugi said as they entered his house, "You go take your shower, I'll wash your clothes, and when you're done with your shower I'll make us all some food to eat.  
  
"Yugi, you know you really don't have to do all this for me..." Bakura said.  
  
"Bakura, I know I don't need to, but I want to help you out. You're my friend and that's what friends do, they help each other out." Yugi pushed Bakura into the bathroom and left Bakura to himself to take his shower.  
  
Bakura was sitting at the table in clean clothes after he had finished his shower.  
  
Yugi put a bowl filled with macaroni in front of each of them along with a glass of lemonade. "Eat up," He said cheerfully and sat down at the table in front of a bowl of macaroni himself.  
  
Everyone at the table began to eat the macaroni, except Bakura. He just stared into his bowl. There was more food in that bowl than he usually ate in 3 days. He could feel how hungry he was but he didn't feel right about eating the food that was right there before his eyes, like if he ate it, something terrible would happen to him.  
  
Everyone stopped eating and stared at Bakura, wondering why he wasn't eating.  
  
"Uh, Bakura, why are you having a staring contest with your mac n' cheese?" Joey said a little confused.  
  
Bakura looked up, "I'm not...It's just that...don't you think this is a bit too much?"  
  
Tea looked a bit puzzled, "Do you mean too much food or we're doing too much for you?"  
  
Bakura looked back down at his meal, "I guess a little too much of everything...too much food...too many favors...I'm just not accustom to this kind of treatment..."  
  
Tristan looked at Bakura, also a bit baffled, "What's wrong with the way we're treating you? Did we do something wrong? Don't you like macaroni?"  
  
"I like macaroni...I just don't feel right being treated so nicely...I'm not very hungry anyways..."Bakura continued to stare into his macaroni.  
  
"Please, Bakura, eat something. You're practically skin and bones as it is." Yugi looked quite a bit concerned.  
  
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little..." Bakura began to eat slowly and so did everyone else, but after Bakura got a little more comfortable with he idea of eating, he ate very quickly. He was the first to finish.  
  
"Someone was hungry," Joey said before taking another mouthful.  
  
"I guess I was a little hungry..." Bakura said with a small smile on his face.  
  
Yugi seemed satisfied that Bakura had eaten, at least a little something, and smiled back at Bakura.  
  
After all of them had finished their lunch the discussed what they should do next.  
  
"I say we go watch some TV, my favorite show will be on pretty soon." Joey said in his usual energetic manner.  
  
"What is it, Power Rangers?" Tristan said laughing.  
  
"NO!" Joey said standing and shaking a clenched fist at Tristan.  
  
"I guess some relaxation could be a good thing..." Tea said after a little thinking.  
  
"Alright then," Yugi said jumping up from his seat, putting his bowl in the sink, and making his way to the living room.  
  
There they all sat, huddled around Yugi's television set, watching Joey's favorite show.  
  
They all sat on the floor while Bakura watched from the couch. The show interested him very little. But this gave him time to think. He enjoyed thinking. His only escape from the life he lived was his thoughts, although some of his thoughts were sad and painful.  
  
Bakura thought silently to himself with his eyes closed as the others watched the soft glow of the television screen. 'Yugi is so kind, they are all so kind. They have all done so much for me. I wish there was something I could do for them...but what? I have nothing to give them other than my friendship, but is that enough? I wonder...do they even really like me, or is it just that they are nice to me out if pity? Could that be it?'  
  
Bakura was deep in though when a powerful, almost overwhelming, voice spoke to him. It was a familiar voice that Bakura recognized at once. It was the voice of that demon that poisoned him, the curse that lurked inside him, right beneath his skin, Yami Bakura.  
  
"Hello Bakura..." The voice hissed.  
  
Bakura's eyes opened immediately and he looked around to see that everything seemed fine. The voice must have spoken to him in his mind, so he closed his eyes and thought back, 'Yami Bakura, what is it that you want from me now?'  
  
The voice in his head replied to his thoughts, 'All I want is a little favor, and then I'll leave you alone.'  
  
'What is it? What do you want?'  
  
'Oh, it's quite a simple task...'The reply was followed by Yami Bakura's cold-blooded laughter that made Bakura's heart ache. 'What I want is for you to go fetch the Millennium puzzle for me.'  
  
'What?! Never, that's Yugi's. I'd never steal it.'  
  
'Bakura, don't make me angry. I'll ask you...no, I'll command you once more. Go get the puzzle for me like a good boy.'  
  
'I will not, never! You can not make me.'  
  
The voice of Bakura's Yami became harsh and as cold as the wind in the Antarctic. 'Shut up, you stupid boy! I can make you do anything I want, and as you will find, I am not so easy to resist.'  
  
Before Bakura knew it, he had stood up and was moving closer to Yugi, who didn't seem to notice Bakura closing in on him. Bakura couldn't seem to control his body as he moved closer and closer to Yugi. His hand outstretched to grab Yugi's Millennium puzzle. Bakura's hand trembled as he resisted his Yami's force with all of his might.  
  
'What are you doing?!' Bakura thought to his mind reading Yami.  
  
'I'm getting what I've come for, and I'm not going to stop until I get it.'  
  
Yugi looked over at Bakura, "Bakura, is there something wrong?"  
  
After Yugi spoke, it seemed the Bakura had gained control of his own body again, and he pulled his hand back quickly. Bakura thought hard before he answered, "Uh...Yeah Yugi, there's something very wrong...I have to go home and cook dinner for my aunt..."  
  
"So soon?" Yugi said with a small frown.  
  
Bakura just nodded. The others looked in his and Yugi's direction.  
  
"Alright then," Yugi said, "If you must, I guess you must."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Yugi, please forgive me. I thank you very much for your great hospitality." Bakura said, standing up and walking to the front door. Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Tea all bid him farewell before he left.  
  
As soon as Bakura closed the door he felt a painful stabbing sensation to his chest. It felt like five knifes piercing his skin. Bakura looked down. Blood was seeping through his shirt in five places, the bloodstains made the shape of a semicircle.  
  
The cold voice of his Yami spoke to him in his mind again, 'This is what you get for disobeying me. Suffer Bakura, suffer!' His words were followed by cruel laughter that broke Bakura's heart.  
  
"Oh God..." Bakura said out loud as he began to make his way home, hunched over.  
  
He ran around behind his aunt's house and opened the large metal doors that guarded the stairs to the basement. He hoped to God that his aunt didn't see him sneaking back home. He slipped down the stairs and closed the heavy doors behind him.  
  
Bakura sat on his bed and pulled off his shirt. Looking down he saw what had happened. The five sharp points of the Millennium ring had burrowed themselves under Bakura's skin. Blood oozed from the cuts that made a perfect semicircle in Bakura's abdomen.  
  
"Damn you, Yami Bakura..." Bakura muttered to himself as he tried to soak up the blood with his sheets.  
  
Bakura lied in his bed for hours. He had given up all hope of stopping the bleeding. His sheets were soaked with blood. He knew Yami Bakura's powers were probably keeping his blood from clotting. Bakura felt so weak from blood loss he could hardly move, but he knew he had to; he had to make dinner for his aunt.  
  
Bakura propped himself up slowly, slid off his bed, and put his shirt back on, not caring if it got any more blood on it. Making his way up the stairs was not easy, but he managed to stumble up the stairs and enter the kitchen. To Bakura's luck, his aunt was not there to catch him.  
  
Making dinner was no easy task either. Walking back and forth in the kitchen with five deep holes in his middle was difficult, but Bakura was able to pull it off. Bakura stumbled back down the stairs and back to his bed before his aunt came, looking for her dinner.  
  
Bakura rolled onto his side and, with great effort, pulled his journal out from under his pillow. He opened it slowly and began a new entry:  
'Dear Journal,  
  
I'm sorry if my writing is sloppy, I'm very weary. I'm sorry for any bloodstains, but I am bleeding all over the place.  
  
I had to weed the garden in exchange for my aunt's old steak bone. The weeds in the garden scoured my hands, but I pulled every single one. After all the work I did, my aunt sent me away.  
  
I walked down the street since there wasn't anything better to do. Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and TŽa caught up with me on the street. Yugi invited me over. He was very kind; he let me take a shower and he cleaned my clothes for me. Afterwards he fed me; it was more food than I had eaten in 3 days.  
  
My Yami spoke to me and almost made me steal Yugi's Millennium puzzle. He completely took control of my body and I could not stop him. My insides felt cold and empty when he controlled me; a great feeling of deep sorrow came over me. I held him off long enough until Yugi realized something was wrong. I couldn't take any more chances, so I left immediately.  
  
As soon as I left, I felt what felt like five six-inch nails were digging into my skin. I got home to discover that all five points of the Millennium ring had dug their way under my skin. It was my punishment for not stealing the Millennium puzzle. I tried to stop the bleeding, but it didn't work.  
  
I feel too weak to write anymore, but there's not much else to tell.'  
  
Bakura put away his journal and climbed under his now crimson sheets. He lied there for hours, tossing and turning, not able to fall asleep. He really didn't want to go to sleep and continue his endless torture, but he was so exhausted from blood loss and all the work he had done earlier that day.  
  
Around 1:00 AM, Bakura felt sick to his stomach. He knew that he had eaten too much after not eating for several days, which could easily make a person sick. He felt as if he was going to throw-up at any second. Since he knew that vomit was a pain to clean up, he decided to get to the bathroom as quickly as he could.  
  
Bakura limped up the stairs and into the bathroom as quickly as he could. He hunched over the sink and splashed some cold water on his face. He looked up slowly, into the mirror. He stepped back, half surprised, half afraid, and his pupils dilated.  
  
The face that looked back at Bakura from the mirror was not his own. It was the face of the pale demon that tortured Bakura every day and night, Yami Bakura.  
  
"What are you doing here?! What is it that you want from me now?!" Bakura said, being very careful not to look straight into Yami Bakura's eyes.  
  
The image in the mirror frowned, "What, is that how you greet me?!" Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "You should be grateful to me you know. If it weren't for me you wouldn't even exist." Yami Bakura pointed an accusing finger at Bakura. "It's my blood that runs through your veins! It's my heart that beats in your chest! You cannot deny your origin! Don't try to pretend you don't know!" Yami Bakura put his hand down and gave Bakura a sharp glare. "You should be more respectful to me, your master. I am practically your father...in fact; I'm more than just that...I am practically you. Until next time Bakura...do NOT forget this!"  
  
Yami Bakura's image faded and Bakura's sad, ill looking reflection returned to the mirror. Bakura stood there, stunned, for a few minuets and thought everything over, until he decided that his stomach felt better, and he returned to his bed. Sleep did not come easily for Bakura, but it finally found him 2 hours later, although Bakura regretted it, for the torture was about to start all over... 


	7. In The Eyes Of The Pale Demon

Chapter 7  
In The Eyes Of The Pale Demon  
  
Bakura found himself in the cold, shadowy mists of a dark place that gave him a feeling of depression. He looked around, not seeing a sign of his Yami anywhere. A cold chill ran up his spine and he sensed the presence of dark energy.  
  
A cruel and powerful voice came from behind Bakura, "You have arrived finally..."  
  
Bakura spun around, looking for his Yami, but saw nothing. He felt the cold shivering feeling again. He turned and saw nothing but emptiness. Where was Yami Bakura?  
  
A large dark energy ball fell from above and hit the ground directly in front of Bakura. The force sent him flying backwards. He lied on the ground and looked up into the dark, clouded sky.  
  
A humanly shape flew down from the sky. Bakura was a bit dazed from the blow, but knew immediately that it was his Yami. Yami Bakura had been floating over Bakura's head the whole time.  
  
"Get up, you stupid weakling!" Yami Bakura growled viciously.  
  
Bakura got to his feet slowly.  
  
Yami Bakura slapped Bakura hard across the face with the back of his hand. "You little impudent fool!" Yami Bakura kneed Bakura in the stomach. "You are so worthless"  
  
Bakura fell to his knees and hunched over.  
  
"Get up maggot, I am not done with you yet!" Yami Bakura picked Bakura up by the collar and held him at eye level.  
  
Bakura, who had his eyes closed, opened and looked straight into his Yami's dark, hateful eyes. Bakura looked deep into his Yami's eyes and although it was just for a moment, Bakura saw so much. He realized what he was doing and looked away.  
  
"I told you never, ever to look into my eyes!" Yami Bakura yelled. He pulled his free hand back and aimed it right for Bakura's chest. "And for that...I shall rip out your heart!"  
  
Bakura closed his eyes and braced himself, waiting for his Yami's hand to enter his body through his chest. But it never came. Instead, he heard his Yami's voice, only it was not as harsh as before. "Bakura, do you fear me...?"  
  
Bakura hesitated but nodded after a few moments.  
  
Yami Bakura put his hand down thought for a while before answering, "That's as it should be..." He thought again, "Bakura, do you love me...?"  
  
Bakura was astounded to hear what his Yami had just asked. He didn't know to tell his Yami if he truly loved him or to tell his Yami that he hated him. Bakura pondered this thought for a little while. His mind wandered to his Yami's eyes, he thought of what he had seen. He nodded at Yami Bakura slowly.  
  
"Don't lie to me!" Yami Bakura said angrily, giving Bakura a vicious shake.  
  
Bakura spoke in a quiet, mild tone to try to sooth his Yami a bit and make it so that his Yami would believe him. "Really Yami, I do love you. You may torture me but, like you said, I wouldn't exist if it weren't for you, and you're like a father to me. I think that really deep down, you love me and care for me..."  
  
Yami Bakura looked so confused and so stressed after hearing what Bakura had said to him. He couldn't control his emotions and actually began to tear.  
  
"What's wrong?" Bakura asked quietly.  
  
"Shut up! You're nothing but a stupid boy! You know nothing!" Yami Bakura grabbed the Millennium ring and tore it out of Bakura's skin. He broke the strap and threw Bakura to the ground. He spun around and ran off into the shadowed mists with his head down, holding the millennium ring.  
  
Bakura lied there, face down on the cold hard ground. He was practically drowning in his own warm crimson blood. He wished that death would find him, he wish that it would take his soul to somewhere else, anywhere else but there. But until that time when his soul was separated from his body, he had to make do with his thoughts, his only escape from that horrid place.  
  
He thought back to his Yami's eyes and what he had seen in them. Had Bakura been mistaken? Or had Bakura really seen more than just what was on the surface?  
  
Bakura remembered Yami Bakura's eyes as if he were looking into them right at that moment. They were so beautiful, those eyes, even if they were the eyes of a pale demon. But there was more than just their beauty that interested Bakura. What Bakura had seen looking into those dark eyes, it was even more beautiful than the eyes themselves.  
  
The first thing Bakura had seen was what most people would expect to find in the eyes of a creature such as Yami Bakura. They were dark brown wastelands, filled to the brim with blood churning hate and anger but were so empty at the same time. But had that been just a cover, a cover for Yami Bakura's true feelings? Bakura had seen more than just the empty hateful place in Yami Bakura's eyes. Bakura had seen something behind that, something so powerful that could easily be overlooked by someone who wasn't searching for it. It was, what Bakura believed as Yami Bakura's true self. It was a beautiful place in Yami Bakura's eyes, very beautiful but very sad indeed. There was suffering and pain, lots of it, an overwhelming heartfelt sadness. But that wasn't the only thing, Bakura had also seen what looked to be regret, Yami Bakura's eyes had begged for forgiveness as if he were saying, "I am sorry I hurt you, I am sorry I ever hurt you." And then the most beautiful thing Bakura had seen there was love, Bakura actually saw love in the eyes of his Yami, and not any love, love for Bakura himself, love that would be given to no one else except for him.  
  
Bakura could have stared into those eyes forever, loosing track of time and space and not even having a care, but just to look into those eyes for eternity. Bakura felt as if staring that deeply into Yami Bakura's eyes allowed Bakura to look straight into his Yami's heart.  
  
A dark and dreary thought settled onto Bakura. What if all Bakura had seen in his Yami's eyes had all been his imagination. What if none of it had existed except for the wasteland of hate. 


	8. The Dream From The Heart

Chapter 8  
The Dream From The Heart  
  
Bakura opened one eye. Slowly and painfully, he lifted his head and then his whole upper body and finally got to his feet. He had been lying on the cement floor. A large puddle of his blood coated the floor where he had been unconscious. Most of his body was dripping with the crimson liquid that gushed from his chest. His shirt was torn and the Millennium ring was gone, but the incisions it had made where still there and had even gotten worse because the Millennium ring had been torn from his flesh.  
  
Bakura flopped back down on his bed. How was he ever going to do his chores with those big holes in his chest? He was so weak; the slightest movements were a battle to make. He lied there for what seemed like hours, practically paralyzed.  
  
"Bakura! Bakura!" His aunt's yells came from upstairs.  
  
Bakura was so weak he couldn't answer, he couldn't even lift his head. He could hardly open his eyes, his eyelids were so heavy.  
  
Bakura's aunt came crashing down the stairs, "There you are, you lazy little bastard!" She stomped over to Bakura's bedside and was about to clobber him over the head with a book when she saw the 5 incisions through his torn shirt. "You...you idiot! What have you done to yourself?!" Bakura's aunt ran upstairs and called the hospital.  
  
Bakura lied there thinking how horrible it was to be alive. 'Why do I always have to suffer? Why does everything I do require suffering? Why can't I just die and get it over with so I don't have to suffer through life anymore? I don't know what I did to deserve this in my life...but whatever it is that I did, I am very sorry I did it and I am suffering greatly for it. I want to die...I don't want to suffer anymore...'  
  
Bakura's aunt ran downstairs and to his bedside. "Do you know how much money this will cost me?! You are going to be doing some heavy work for me when you come back..." Bakura's aunt went on and on, but Bakura paid no mind to her dogging on him.  
  
Within minuets, an ambulance came. Bakura was put in the vehicle and rushed to the hospital. One step away from being unconscious, Bakura hardly knew what was happening. He made no attempt to even open his eyes, not caring about what would happen to him anymore.  
  
Yami Bakura sat in a corner on the cold floor of his spirit room. He stared straight at the Millennium ring that he held in his hand. 'What happened? Why now? Why not centuries ago? Why now? I've waited so long for this, but what do I have now that I didn't have then?' Yami Bakura stood up and yelled at the Millennium ring like he was expecting it to answer, "Why now?! Why did you have to choose now?!"  
  
Yami Bakura threw the Millennium ring across his spirit room in rage. The Millennium ring hit the floor with a clunk. "I hate you! You know nothing! Why now?!" Yami Bakura thought for a second and then walked over and picked up the ring. "I wish I knew why you chose now, but I've desired this for a long time so I'll take what I can get..."  
  
Yami Bakura relaxed and closed his eyes. With that, the Senen eye in the center of the pyramid on the Millennium ring started glowing brightly.  
  
Back in Bakura's bedroom a bright light shot up from the floor. In the center of that light, a body started to materialize from thin air. First the skeleton was formed, then the organs, after that, the muscles, and finally the skin and hair, and the body was completed in a matter of seconds. The body floated lifelessly, a few inches from the ground. Fabrics materialized and wrapped themselves around the body, morphing into casual clothing. The body looked exactly like Yami Bakura, right down to every single hair on its head.  
  
Yami Bakura opened his eyes and looked into the Senen eye of the Millennium ring. Both he and the Millennium ring started to disappear, fading away quickly from Yami Bakura's spirit room.  
  
The Millennium ring arrived at the body first. It hung itself on the body's neck; the broken rope tied itself in the back.  
  
Yami Bakura's spirit followed soon after. He appeared in front of his new body and stared at it. A body, a real living body, all his own. He had wanted it for countless centuries, a craving that would not go away, now to be satisfied. He touched the body's face and rubbed his hand against its cheek. It would be all his. Yami Bakura put his ear to the body's chest and listened contently to the beating of its heart.  
  
Yami Bakura lifted his head and looked into the Senen eye. Placing his hand upon the Millennium ring he began to dissolve into thin air. Yami Bakura entered the body, which was now his. The light from the floor faded and the body landed softly on its feet, no longer floating. Its eyes burst open, seeing the world for the first time, but having seen it a billion times before through different eyes. Yami Bakura now looked through the body's eyes he moved his hand and looked at it. It was the body's hand that he saw, only now it was his hand. He placed his new hand on his new chest, feeling the beat of his new heart, which he could never feel as a spirit.  
  
Just because he had a human body did not mean that he had lost his Yami powers. In fact, he's dark powers had increased now that he had a body to harbor them.  
  
He turned around. He was in Bakura's room, but where was Bakura? Yami Bakura began to search the house leaving not one corner unturned.  
  
At the hospital, the doctors had all agreed Bakura needed a blood transfusion and fast. Blood tests were underway and Bakura's wounded chest was heavily wrapped with cloth bandages.  
  
A nurse gave a doctor the results for the blood test as Bakura's aunt argued with the secretary over the price of the procedure. "What do you mean?! If it's gonna cost me that much than I say to just let the little bugger die!"  
  
"Ma'am, it's only a few hundred dollars and it's the cheapest procedure, please." The secretary said with some concern in her voice.  
  
After being nagged and pleaded to by the secretary, Bakura's aunt finally gave in and paid for Bakura's blood transfusion.  
  
Bakura had finally passed out, his limp body in a hospital bed. Blood was being pumped into his body through a tube in his arm. He looked sick and feeble especially in the dim lights of Bakura's hospital room. He had always been pale but he was very pale now. His eyes had dark circles around them, giving him a somewhat, dead, impression.  
  
Bakura spent only one night at the hospital because his aunt would not pay for any other medical treatment or rest that he needed. But during that night, Bakura had a dream; he hadn't had a dream in so long. All it had been was torture every time he tried to sleep, but this time he had an actual dream.  
  
It was a wonderful feeling to have a dream after not having one for so long:  
  
'Bakura was lying on his bed in his room. Not the one in the basement of his aunt's house, the one he had when he was a child. His room in his mother and father's house before Bakura's father had ever gone on long expeditions and before his mother died.  
  
Bakura was enjoying himself in his soft bed, in his nicely sized room with sky blue wallpaper and the spring green curtains. He could hardly remember ever living like this. The most work he would ever have to do was occasionally wash the dishes or help his dad with the lawn work. It was a quaint, quiet little house. The birds would chirp every morning and the flower's fragrance would carry through the window and tickle his nose sweetly. It was everything he had ever really wanted.  
  
Bakura sat up in his bed and looked at his hands. They hadn't changed; they were the same 15-year-old hands that he always had, except they were clean and unscarred. He plopped back down in his bed. How comfortable it was.  
  
The door too Bakura's room cracked open. Bakura turned his head to look. A dark, brown eye peeked at him from the crack in the door. He knew who's eye that belonged to and he smiled. Not his weak sickly smile, his joyful smile, that lit up his face and charmed many.  
  
The door opened more and the eye was given a body. A woman with dark brown eyes and long brown hair came in. She was a tall skinny woman with a very nice face, only about in her late thirties. She smiled at Bakura, her smile lighting up the already bright room. "I've been waiting for you, Bakura...for a very long time."  
  
Bakura sat up and looked at her, he hadn't seen her face for so long. He spoke in a soft sweet voice, "I've really missed you, Mom."  
  
The dark haired woman looked Bakura over. Her voice was like a golden bell hung in Bakura's heart. "I've missed you too." She continued to look at him, from head to toe. "You've grown up to be so handsome, do you have a girlfriend?"  
  
"Nah...No girl wants to go out with me. I'm not handsome, but I don't mind. I'm too shy anyways."  
  
Bakura's mother sat on his bed next to him. "Bakura, you are a very handsome boy," she said as she began to stroke his long white hair. "I'm sure you'll find yourself a girl to settle down with. What are you, 15, 16 now?"  
  
"15 now." He was enjoying how she stroked his hair. Her soft touch that he hadn't felt for a long time soothed his spirit.  
  
Bakura's mother put both of her hands under Bakura's chin and lifted his face to look into hers. Her eyes met his and they both just looked into each other's eyes. Bakura's mother finally said, "Bakura, are you happy? You look fine now, but your eyes tell me a different story. What has happened to you?"  
  
"The truth is, I'm not happy, Mom...I hate the way I live...I hate everything about it! After you died and left me, everything I ever cared or dreamed about was taken from me. I'm sad, lonely, and tortured now. I miss you, Mommy, and I want you back." Tears began to form in his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks.  
  
Bakura's mother looked back into his blurry eyes sadly and kissed him softly on the forehead. She hugged him and pulled his head into the crook of her neck to comfort him. "My poor baby boy." She said softly.  
  
Bakura closed his eyes and cried quietly. "I miss you, Mommy," he whimpered again.  
  
Bakura's mother's warm soft body suddenly became cold and hard, like stone. Bakura was confused and looked up into what he expected to be her face.  
  
It was a face all right, but not the face of his mother. It was the face of Yami Bakura, the dark eyed pale demon. Bakura pulled away from Yami Bakura's grip and stared at him, very confused.  
  
Yami Bakura grinned at Bakura evilly and the room Bakura had once called his own, changed into a dark world with dark colored mist.  
  
Bakura looked around very confused and very afraid. He turned back to where Yami Bakura was sitting to see it was his mother again, only this time she looked to be in pain and her wrists were chained. A chain leash was clamped around her neck.  
  
"Mom!" Bakura was next to her in an instant and was desperately struggling to get the chains off of her.  
  
The leash around Bakura's mother's neck jerked his mother away from him. Bakura looked up and his eyes followed the leash to its holder, Yami Bakura.  
  
"It's all your fault..." Bakura said quietly. "It's all your fault!" Bakura said again, only this time yelling it at Yami Bakura. "You made my life miserable after Mom died! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"  
  
Yami Bakura laughed insanely and gave the chain another hard pull. Bakura's mother was on the ground in a matter of nanoseconds. He began to drag her away very quickly. She began screaming his name and crying as she was pulled away into the mist.  
  
Bakura scrambled to his feet as quick as he could. He began to chase her trying to catch up with her, following her screams for him. Bakura ran for what seemed like forever before his mother's screams stopped. Bakura stopped and looked around, practically in tears. He saw something move in the mists, about 100 yards away. Bakura began walking closer. He was 50 yards away when he realized it was his mother.  
  
The ground around her was like slime and it was sucking her in like quicksand. She was already up to her neck. "Bakura," She called.  
  
Bakura started dashing over to her but the faster he ran the faster she was sinking. Bakura had run about 20 yards and her head went under but one of her arms was still sticking out, waiting his arrival. Bakura kept running, hoping that he could get to her hand before she sunk all the way under. He was one step away; his mother's hand was all the showed. Bakura took one last step, the step that could have saved her when her hand disappeared from view, under the surface.  
  
"No!" Bakura yelled. He kneeled and touched the ground to try to reach in and save her, but the ground was hard. "Mom..." Bakura whispered to himself. "Mom..."  
  
Bakura lied down on the ground and curled up into a ball. His eyes were wide and he was shivering. Tears began to flow and his breathing was shallow. He could feel his heart cry for his mother, just like it had when his mother died. "Mom..." He repeated over and over quietly. Once again, she was gone from him...forever...' 


	9. Death By Train

Chapter 9  
Death By Train  
  
"Bakura, Wake up," A voice screeched, like a banshee on a bad day.  
  
Bakura opened a pair of blurry eyes to see a blur of a woman standing in front of him. He felt tired and weak but he sat up anyways and rubbed his eyes. It was his aunt who had been crowing at him.  
  
"Finally, your lazy ass is up," She said. "What the hell did you do to yourself and why?!" She asked, seeming quite agitated.  
  
Bakura stared at her. His eyes large and soulful, he innocently looked at her, blank, without an answer.  
  
"Well?!" She said in her impatience. She slapped Bakura across the face after he didn't answer. "Fine, don't tell me then!"  
  
Bakura just slowly brought his face back to her, his large, sorrowful eyes aimed directly at her.  
  
She paid no mind to his unhappiness and continued. "I'm taking you home today because I'm not paying the extra money to have you stay another night." She walked to the door and peeked out to make sure she was out of the earshot of any doctors or nurses. She went back to his bedside. "And when we get home, you will be doing A LOT of work for me! Now come along, we're going back home." Bakura's aunt left the room and waited outside.  
  
Bakura just sighed softly and climbed out of the bed, putting on his shoes. He noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt and saw that each of the 5 slits in his chest had been sewn up with black stitches. He slid his shirt on and left the room where his impatient aunt was waiting.  
  
"It's about time!" She said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down the hall to the elevator, and then to the front desk, and finally to the front door. Bakura's aunt practically threw him in the car. He bumped his head hard on the doors' over hang.  
  
Bakura's aunt got in the car, started it, and stepped on the gas.  
  
Their car sped down the road at 80 miles an hour. Bakura knew his aunt was angry with him. He laid his head against the window, still feeling sick.  
  
"You know what I had to pay?!" Bakura's aunt began to lecture him.  
  
Bakura couldn't have cared less about what she had to say if he could have cared about anything at that moment. He just stared out the window and his mind drew a blank.  
  
Bakura's aunt put a cigarette in her mouth. She fumbled a lighter in her pocket. She pulled it out and it slipped through her fingers onto the floor. "Crap!" She said and bent down to pick it up.  
  
Not too far ahead, the railroad crossing bars had gone down and a train was rumbling along the tracks.  
  
Bakura's aunt grabbed the cigarette lighter and looked up. She screamed as she turned the wheel sharply to the right. The car skid sideways towards the train.  
  
Bakura's aunt punched on the brakes hoping the car would stop but it was too late. The left side of the car broke through the crossing bars and smashed hard into the side of the train.  
  
Glass shattered and metal twisted. A horrible sound came from the metal of the car scraping against the side of the train. Sparks came from the scraping metal. Shards of glass flew every which way.  
  
Sharp glass crystals shot like bullets around the inside of the car. They entered Bakura's skin and stayed there.  
  
The sparks from the grinding metal started a fire on the dashboard. Black smoke filled the car.  
  
Bakura couldn't breathe. All his lungs could take in was the deadly smoke that filled the car as water fills a glass. Still in a daze Bakura got opened the door of the car. Some of the smoke began to escape from the door. He looked back at his aunt through the black smoke. Her body was mutilated beyond imagination.  
  
Bakura grabbed his aunt's shirt and pulled her out the door with him. He pulled her a couple of tens of feet, from the wreckage and left her there, away from the car.  
  
He stumbled to the train station parking lot, a few hundred feet away. He stopped in the parking lot and stared at his aunts' car, or what was left of it, obviously still not aware of what was going on.  
  
People gathered around the car and Bakura's aunt and stared.  
  
The train passed and the car made a deep creaking sound. The fire had spread to the engine now, and to the gasoline tank.  
  
A sound worse than any other boomed through the area. Fire shot into the heavens. Smoke sent a huge mushroom cloud into the sky.  
  
Bakura, still totally dazed, thought to himself, 'Fireworks?'  
  
Peoples' screams broke into the sound of the explosion. The car was engulfed in flames. Flaming pieces of the car fell to the ground.  
  
Someone grabbed Bakura's shoulder and turned him around. It was a short plump man with short brown hair and a mustache. "You were in the accident. I'm going to take you to the hospital."  
  
Bakura shook his head. "No...I don't want to go there."  
  
"You're bleeding all over the place, Boy. You need medical attention right away."  
  
Bakura jerked his shoulder away and started stepping back, away from the man. "No...I wont go..."  
  
"You're talking nonsense! Come here, I'm trying to help you." The man started to step forward towards Bakura.  
  
Bakura shook his head. "I'm not going." He spun on his heal and began to run.  
  
"Come back!" The man yelled, "You'll die if you don't!" He stopped, knowing he could never catch up, and watched Bakura speed down the street.  
  
Bakura stopped a block away. He had breathed in too much smoke. He stopped and fell to his knees, coughing hysterically. He hardly had time for even the smallest gasps of air in between coughs. 


	10. A Living Hell

Chapter 10  
A Living Hell  
  
Bakura had managed to stop coughing and walk to his aunts' house. He was standing on the porch in front of the door when he came out of his daze and realized what had happened was real and was really going to affect his life. Who would support him? Who would shelter him? Sure, there were some good things but his life was going to change, and by the look of things, for the worse.  
  
Bakura reached out to turn the doorknob but it started turning by itself. The door opened and who should be standing there but Yami Bakura. His dark eyes flared angrily. "Where have you been?!" He growled deeply.  
  
Bakura looked up into his Yami's face and quickly down at his own feet. "Aunty took me to the hospital..."  
  
"Hospital?" Yami Bakura's voice was still in a deep growl. "Did they do that to you? Or was it that bitch of an aunt that you have?" He pointed at a few of the many bloody cuts on Bakura's body. Some of them even had glass sticking out of them.  
  
"No," Bakura said quietly, "I was in a car accident with a train. I managed to live but I don't think Aunty did...I pulled her out before the car exploded, but I think she was already dead..."  
  
"The bitch is dead? Good. Now come inside and get your stuff." Yami Bakura grabbed Bakura's arm and pulled him into the house. Yami Bakura closed the door and looked at Bakura who was dripping in blood. "You know what? Go take a bath and wash all that blood off. Then you get your stuff."  
  
Bakura was confused but did as he was told. He sat in the bath and pondered. 'There's something different about him. I can't exactly figure out what it is though. I know he can come out of the ring...but this time it seems strange. I think I found it was strange when he grabbed my arm. It's different for when he usually does it. He always grabs my arm that way but...but...he was...warm to the touch. That's it! He was always as cold as death until today when his hand was warm. And he just doesn't seem like a sprit anymore. Could he have gained a body of his own? But how? And if he does he doesn't need me as a host body anymore...what is he planning to do to me?'  
  
Yami Bakura shoved a loaf of bread into Bakura's empty school backpack along with an assortment of nonperishable items and other necessities. He entered Bakura's aunts' room and rummaged through her drawers. He found money in a drawer, took it, and left.  
  
Bakura went into his 'room' in the basement and saw Yami Bakura looking through his stuff. Yami Bakura turned around, holding a pair of Bakura's pants and a clean shirt, possibly Bakura's only clean shirt.  
  
Bakura looked at Yami Bakura puzzled.  
  
"Finally...now get your things and we can get the hell outta here." Yami Bakura chucked the clothing into the bag and went upstairs.  
  
Bakura looked into the backpack, seeing all of its goods. He then looked around the room, in wonder of what he should take. There wasn't much he had so he just threw a pencil and his journal into the backpack and headed upstairs with it.  
  
Yami Bakura was waiting for him by the door. "You certainly took your sweet time!" He said, clamping his hand firmly around Bakura's left upper arm. Yami Bakura dragged Bakura out the door quickly and began to run as soon as he got to the street.  
  
Bakura stumbled along behind Yami Bakura, who was practically dragging him. Bakura felt the backpack bounce against his back, hurting him more and more; for a few of those glass shards had been lodged in his back and the backpack was beating them deeper into his flesh.  
  
Yami Bakura had probably dragged Bakura about a quarter of a mile before they stopped. They stopped in an alleyway between two buildings. A dumpster sat in between the two buildings. Yami Bakura pushed it to one side so that there was a small walkway to get behind the dumpster. Behind the dumpster was a high fence.  
  
"We are going to stay here." Yami Bakura said. "Now...as for those pieces of glass in your skin..." Yami Bakura pushed Bakura behind the dumpster and stripped him down to his boxers.  
  
Bakura looked down at himself. He really was a mess. There were pieces of glass sticking out of his skin almost everywhere.  
  
Yami Bakura pushed Bakura against the brick sides of one of the buildings, which didn't help with the glass in Bakura's back. Yami Bakura pinned Bakura to the wall, his hand around Bakura's slender neck.  
  
Bakura didn't want to know how Yami Bakura was planning to extract all those pieces of glass from his skin, but he had no choice in the matter. Yami Bakura was a lot bigger and stronger than Bakura and would easily catch him if he ever tried to escape.  
  
Yami Bakura slid his free hand into his back pocket and pulled out a sharpened pocketknife. He started with Bakura's chest. He dug the sharp knife into one of the glass-infested incisions.  
  
Bakura yelped in pain and squirmed.  
  
"Stop moving! I could slip and pull out your heart instead of that piece of glass..." Yami Bakura hissed. "And be quiet...I don't want you to blow our cover."  
  
Threw all the pain he was in, Bakura managed to stay silent and not move.  
  
Yami Bakura dug away in Bakura's cut searching for the piece of glass. After digging around for a few minuets Yami Bakura managed to get enough of the glass out to pull it out with his fingers.  
  
Little good did it do either of them to pull these glass pieces out of Bakura. It only cause Bakura pain and suffering, along with making the cut bigger and making him loose more blood.  
  
Yami Bakura dug into the next slice of his choice. He again began to search around under Bakura's skin with the sharp blade. Again Yami Bakura was able to retrieve the glass piece, but again, the cut was now twice the size as it was before and was bleeding nonstop.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Yami Bakura was up to the last piece of glass in Bakura, the one, and only one, in Bakura's face.  
  
Yami Bakura slid the blade into Bakura's left cheek and attempted to pull out the shard.  
  
Bakura closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. He clasped Yami Bakura's wrist with both of his hands in his agony. He could hear the blood dripping off his body and landing in a large, ever growing, puddle of dark-red liquid. He felt the blade search the interior of his skin on his cheek and it hurt.  
  
Yami Bakura tried for about 10 minuets to get the glass out. He finally got enough of it out to squeeze it out with his fingers.  
  
Yami Bakura let go of Bakura's neck. He reached into the backpack and pulled out a few rolls of much needed gauze along with a washcloth.  
  
Bakura was totally exhausted. His eyes were half closed. His bloody hand was placed against the wall to support himself. He was standing with his knees together and his feet apart. He breathed heavily and his heart raced to make up for his lack of blood. The blood-puddle was almost up to his ankles. His body was washed in the crimson liquid, he was totally sopping with it stuff.  
  
Yami Bakura wetted the washcloth in a little puddle of dirty water that gathered around a clogged drain. He dabbed the wet washcloth against Bakura's wounds.  
  
The water was cold and it stung Bakura, like a hundred wasps stinging his raw skin. Bakura moaned softly as his Yami continued to sting him with the washcloth in an attempt to clean out his injuries.  
  
Yami Bakura threw the bloody watered washcloth to the side and began to wrap Bakura in gauze. He used up all the rolls but managed to cover most of Bakura's cuts.  
  
Bakura could hardly stand, he was so weak. Bakura started to sink down onto his knees. His hand left a bloody smear as it traveled down the wall with him as he slowly fell to his knees. He sat on his knees in the bloody puddle and let his head droop, not strong enough to lift it.  
  
Yami Bakura grabbed a hold of both of Bakura's arms and pulled him over to a dry corner. Yami Bakura's coat was spread out on the ground like a carpet. He sat atop it and pulled Bakura into his lap. Yami Bakura reached into the backpack, which was sitting next to him, and retrieved a blanket, which he draped over Bakura.  
  
Yami Bakura looked at Bakura for a moment. It seemed as if a soft nature came over Yami Bakura's face momentarily, but in an instant, it was gone.  
  
Yami Bakura pulled Bakura closer to him so that he could warm Bakura with his body heat. Yami Bakura rested Bakura's head on his chest and wrapped his arms around the bleeding boy.  
  
By the way Bakura was breathing, Yami Bakura knew that Bakura was asleep. Yami Bakura looked up in the sky for a while, but he soon dozed off too. 


	11. In The Eyes Of The Bleeding Angel

Chapter 11  
In The Eyes Of The Bleeding Angel  
  
Bakura listened contently to what sounded like the beating of a heart. Something then hit him, who's heart was it?  
  
Something small and wet splashed on Bakura's face. He opened his eyes and saw a cloudy, stormy sky. He looked to his left slightly and his eyes grew big with fear, but mostly shock.  
  
Yami Bakura's head hung over Bakura's. The Yami's breathing was soft and light. He was obviously still asleep.  
  
Bakura shivered, scared stiff. He thought hard and remembered the last night when Yami Bakura had pulled the pieces of glass out of Bakura's skin with a knife.  
  
It puzzled him though. Why would Yami Bakura put Bakura into his lap and cover him with a blanket, and even let Bakura use his chest as a pillow so that Bakura could sleep. And that wasn't all that puzzled Bakura. Where did the heart beat come from?  
  
Bakura thought back a while when Yami Bakura had been squeezing the life out of Bakura as a punishment for something he had done. Bakura's head had been pressed against Yami Bakura's chest as he squeezed the life out of Bakura. Bakura had heard nothing. Nothing was there but an empty chest cavity.  
  
This made Bakura almost positive that Yami Bakura had a body of his own. But if Yami Bakura had his own body then what would Yami Bakura do with him? Yami Bakura had no need for Bakura to host his spirit. Bakura wondered why Yami Bakura hadn't killed him already.  
  
Bakura began to move slowly. He pushed Yami Bakura's arm off.  
  
Yami Bakura grunted softly and moved his arms back a little, but he didn't wake up.  
  
Bakura sat there, with his wide and fearful eyes, afraid that his Yami would wake. Bakura shivered slightly as he watched his Yami's face to make sure that Yami Bakura didn't wake up.  
  
After what seemed like forever, Bakura finally summoned the courage to move again. Since Yami Bakura had moved his arms, Bakura found it all the more easier to get away.  
  
Bakura inched his way off his Yami's lap and finally, in one quick soft motion, slid of Yami Bakura's lap altogether. Bakura stood up, relieved that he hadn't waken Yami Bakura, who knows what Yami Bakura would do if he woke up cranky.  
  
Come to think of it, Bakura had never seen Yami Bakura sleep before, ever! Bakura thought that because Yami Bakura was a spirit he didn't need sleep. That did it. Bakura knew Yami Bakura had gotten a body somehow.  
  
Bakura pulled the blanket off and slid on his clean pair of pants and shirt that Yami Bakura had packed for Bakura. He took a last look at Yami Bakura. For some strange reason, Yami Bakura looked almost heavenly as he slept soundly in that corner on his jacket. Bakura shook his head and looked at his Yami again to see the same demon he had always seen.  
  
Bakura turned around quietly. So quiet in fact, that all you could hear was Yami Bakura's soft breathes as he slept in the corner. Bakura held his breath. He moved silently, as a shadow, passed the now dry puddle of blood and the clogged drain, surrounded by filthy water.  
  
Bakura was between the dumpster and the brick wall when he heard a deep voice behind him.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?!" The deep voice growled.  
  
Bakura's heart jumped. He froze in his tracks, too afraid to move, too afraid to even breathe. He would have stopped his heart from beating too if he had any control over that. He knew his Yami had woken up, cranky.  
  
"Come back here!" The voice of Bakura's Yami was gruff and hard, a sure sign of his annoyance.  
  
Bakura didn't even have time to turn around because a large, strong hand attached itself to Bakura's shoulder and pulled him back behind the dumpster. Yami Bakura spun Bakura around and slapped him across the face so hard that he fell down.  
  
It happened so fast; Bakura was on the ground before he even knew what was going on.  
  
"Thinking about leaving, were you?!" Yami Bakura's voice was so powerful it made Bakura feel like he was about 2 inches tall.  
  
"I - I - I was..." Bakura stuttered, trying to think up something to say.  
  
Yami Bakura grabbed Bakura's coiler and lifted him up into the air one handed. "You were what?!"  
  
Bakura's lower lip quivered as he thought hard about his answer. "I was going to go get us something to eat." Bakura made up quickly. What had he been thinking? Yami Bakura wouldn't take that for an answer.  
  
"Bullshit!" Yami Bakura cussed gruffly. "You knew I had food in the backpack. You can't lie to me, Bakura. I know you better than you know yourself."  
  
"Please Yami...I - I..." Bakura knew it was wrong to talk back to his Yami. Bakura didn't know why he couldn't control his tonge.  
  
"Shut up!" Yami Bakura hook-punched Bakura in the stomach and dropped him. "You were trying to run away. I know you were. Don't lie to me!"  
  
Bakura landed on his feet but fell to his hands and knees. Yami Bakura had hit Bakura hard in the stomach. Bakura would have thrown up if there was anything in his stomach to throw up. He coughed and gagged but all he could manage to bring up was saliva mixed with blood and stomach fluids, which dripped off his lips to the concrete below.  
  
"Get up and take it like a man!" Yami Bakura said harshly.  
  
Bakura wiped his lips and stood weakly. "Yami...I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't give me that crap! Now get over here!"  
  
Bakura edged closer to Yami Bakura cautiously, like a sad lonely little puppy that had been hit too many times.  
  
Yami Bakura pushed Bakura down on his rear so that he landed in the corner, on Yami Bakura's coat. Yami Bakura crouched beside Bakura and reached into the backpack. Yami Bakura pulled out a loaf of bread, some cheese, and a package of dried roast beef cold cuts. With these, he quickly threw together 2 sandwiches. He shoved one of the sandwiches into Bakura's hands.  
  
"Eat." That was all Yami Bakura said, and sat down next to Bakura.  
  
Bakura looked at the sandwich blankly. He looked at Yami Bakura, who had already begun to tear into his sandwich. Bakura looked back down at his sandwich, which lied in his hands just begging to be eaten.  
  
Bakura bit into the sandwich slowly and chewed it like it was a piece of rubber. It wasn't bad, he was just being cautious. Bakura looked over at Yami Bakura, who was one bite away from finishing his sandwich.  
  
Bakura had never seen Yami Bakura really eat before, other than when Yami Bakura had licked up that bit of blood. But that wasn't really eating...Yami Bakura seemed to have done it just to creep Bakura out.  
  
Bakura looked down at his own sandwich and remembered how hungry he was. He began to eat his sandwich normally as he watched his Yami finish.  
  
Yami Bakura finished his sandwich and looked at Bakura. Yami Bakura's eyes wandered to Bakura's sad but sweet eyes.  
  
Bakura looked at Yami Bakura. He knew he shouldn't look into his Yami's eyes, but Yami Bakura had looked into Bakura. He had done no wrong. Then again, Yami Bakura beat Bakura just for existing, for the sake of beating. But again Bakura saw that wonderful place in his Yami's eyes.   
  
Bakura would have moved his eyes away but he couldn't. It felt like a dream. When you loose track of time and space, when you don't know when you're alive or dead, but you don't care. That's how Bakura felt at that moment. He would have taken his eyes away but somehow, couldn't.  
  
Yami Bakura stared into Bakura's large, sad, hurting eyes. Yami Bakura saw something he had never seen in Bakura before. Sure Yami Bakura could read Bakura's mind, but this wasn't the same, Bakura's thoughts weren't the same as his emotions. Yami Bakura had stared straight through Bakura's eyes, into Bakura's aching heart.  
  
Bakura's deep brown eyes were clouded with heartfelt pain. Bakura's sad gaze shot a stabbing jolt straight into Yami Bakura's heart. It hurt him so bad that he flinched. Yami Bakura's skin went paler than it naturally was. Instead of hitting Bakura for staring into his eyes, Yami Bakura turned his head away and looked down at his feet.  
  
"Don't stare at me..." Yami Bakura said, in an emotionless tone of voice.  
  
Confused as he was, Bakura turned his head away and stared at the blood that he had smeared on the wall with his hand and continued to nibble on his sandwich.  
  
Yami Bakura stared down at his feet. Though Bakura and Yami Bakura weren't staring each other in the eye anymore, Yami Bakura could still feel Bakura's pain. It was like an iron fist, squeezing his heart. It made him want to yell out in pain, perhaps cry, but he didn't. He refused to.  
  
Yami Bakura thought about this for a moment. Then it hit him. That was what Bakura felt everyday. Wasn't it? Had Yami Bakura really seen Bakura's pain, and now he could even feel it? This concept confused Yami Bakura greatly, so he came up with another explanation. What he had seen it Bakura's eyes was just a look that he gave to people so they would feel pity for him. Even Yami Bakura had his doubts about this concept. What Yami Bakura had seen, seemed a lot deeper than just a look. 


	12. The Plan

Chapter 12  
The Plan  
  
Bakura had finished his sandwich. He had thought about a question and it had been burning a hole in his mind ever since he had woken up that morning. But he knew better than to ask so he continued to stare at the blood smeared on the wall. The blood smear just reminded him of his question. Why had Yami Bakura helped him? That question burned in his mind, screaming to be answered. Bakura was so curious it hurt his brain.  
  
After a few minuets, Bakura couldn't take it any longer. He turned towards Yami Bakura and asked.  
  
"Yami, I was wondering...why did you take care of me last night?" Bakura said it so quietly it was almost a whisper. His eyes filled with the hope of earning his Yami's affection.  
  
Yami Bakura looked up at the dumpster but didn't look at Bakura. It surprised him that Bakura had actually asked him a question like that. Though he was surprised, he answered.  
  
"I need you to do something for me."  
  
The hope in Bakura's eyes faded. "Oh...I see..."  
  
"I want you to go to Yugi's house and take the Millennium puzzle from him. It will be a lot easier for you to do it than for me to...with that stupid Yami of his always getting in my way..." Yami Bakura said in a gruff tone. He spit a large wad of saliva at the dumpster.  
  
Bakura watched the saliva wad splattered on the ground, a few inches shy of the dumpster. He turned back to Yami Bakura and just stared at him. "W-Why?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Because I must collect all the Millennium items and his will help me on my way to getting all seven." Yami Bakura crossed his arms behind his head and lied back, closing his eyes. "I can't kill you or let you die or I'd have to do it myself. And I can't rough you up too much or that nosy little midget, Yugi, will start asking questions...and Yami Yugi will get suspicious."  
  
Bakura's heart sank, he didn't want to steal Yugi's Millennium puzzle. Bakura knew he shouldn't. He refused to be a puppet with Yami Bakura pulling the strings.  
  
A little louder than before Bakura said, "No. I won't do it. The puzzle is Yugi's. I wont take it."  
  
Yami Bakura's eyes burst open. They were literally glowing blood red with anger. He slowly turned his head and stared at Bakura with those two creepy eyes. "What did you say...?!" His growl was more terrifying than that of wolf. He showed his sharp teeth as he spoke.  
  
Bakura gulped and backed away. He knew he should have said nothing. Now he was in over his head. Yami Bakura was angry; bad things happened when Yami Bakura was angry.  
  
What made things worse was that it was beginning to rain. The cold droplets fell from the cloudy sky.  
  
Yami Bakura grabbed Bakura by his coiler and pulled him up to his feet. Yami Bakura pinned Bakura to the brick wall, Yami Bakura's hand gripped Bakura's neck tightly as he began to lift him from the ground.  
  
Bakura found it almost impossible to breathe. He clenched his teeth and held onto Yami Bakura's wrist with both of his hands.  
  
If looks could kill then the look that Yami Bakura gave to Bakura would have killed Bakura ten times over. Yami Bakura's eyes were alight like wild fire. They flamed a glowing red with anger. "If you refuse to do it then there's no point in me keeping you and taking care of you. I should kill you right here. Oh, and don't worry, Bakura, I will make sure your death is slow and painful." Yami Bakura tightened his hands around Bakura's neck.  
  
Blood dripped from between Bakura's teeth and started leaking down his chin onto, Yami Bakura's hand. Bakura's eyes started to roll back in his head and his body began to loose strength.  
  
Yami Bakura dropped Bakura, and looked at his own hand, now red with Bakura's blood. His face softened and the red glow had disappeared from his eyes.  
  
Bakura lied on his back perfectly still. All that showed were the whites of his eyes.  
  
Yami Bakura got down next to Bakura. "Bakura?" Yami Bakura shook Bakura slightly but nothing happened. "Wake up. You can't die on me...not here...not now..." Yami Bakura smacked Bakura across the face.  
  
Bakura's head rolled over to the side limply with the force of the impact.  
  
"Bakura...you aren't dead, are you? You can't be dead!" He grabbed Bakura's shoulders and shook him violently.  
  
Bakura's head just nodded back and forth loosely as he was shaken around.  
  
Yami Bakura laid Bakura's head on Yami Bakura's coat. He noticed that Bakura was, literally, perfectly still. His chest did not rise and fall with breath. Yami Bakura laid his head on Bakura's chest in high hope of a heartbeat. Yami Bakura heard a 'thump,' though it was slow and weak, Bakura was still alive.  
  
Yami Bakura sat up. He had to think of something fast. He thought for a second then slammed the back of his hand hard against Bakura's chest.  
  
Bakura's eyes rolled back down and he began to cough and sputter. He coughed up some blood and it rolled down his cheeks.  
  
Yami Bakura embraced Bakura, sort of like a hug but not really one. Yami Bakura placed Bakura's chin on his shoulder and began to pound on Bakura's back.  
  
"Breathe!" He said landing another hard hit onto Bakura's backside.  
  
Bakura spit out some more blood before taking a large gasp of air.  
  
Yami Bakura stopped pounding and rubbed his hand on Bakura's back, occasionally patting.  
  
Bakura's breathing was unsteady at first, but it went back to normal after not too long.  
  
As soon as Bakura was able to breathe tears welled up in his eyes. Tears began flowing like the endless rain that fell around him and soaked him. Tears that came from the depths of his very soul came tumbling down his cheeks. His limp arms regained strength and he wrapped them tightly around his Yami.  
  
Yami Bakura looked stunned. He wasn't used to being hugged.  
  
Bakura let out a soft sniffle and let out a long breath.  
  
Yami Bakura didn't know what to make of this, but he kept his hardness to him. Yami Bakura pried Bakura off and held Bakura out in front of him.  
  
Bakura just looked at Yami Bakura with big, sad, blurry eyes.  
  
Yami Bakura looked at Bakura coldly. But those eyes of Bakura's, they practically bore right through Yami Bakura with their pain, suffering, and fear. Yami Bakura let go and Bakura slid backwards until he ran up against the wall.  
  
They stared at each other for only a few moments, but to the both of them it seemed like forever. Surprisingly, Bakura was the first to break the silence.  
  
His voice was timid and sad, "Yami...please don't hurt me...I love you..."  
  
Yami Bakura found this very strange for the situation, and very surprising, but decided to ignore what Bakura had just said. Yami Bakura slid closer to Bakura without a word.  
  
Bakura flinched as if Yami Bakura had hit him and hid his face under his arms.  
  
Yami Bakura brushed Bakura's arms away from Bakura's face, and he put one of his hands under Bakura's chin, bringing Bakura's face up to his.  
  
Bakura kept his eyes shut tight.  
  
Yami Bakura ran his hand up one side of Bakura's face and stopped it on his cheek. Yami Bakura's voice had softened a bit but still maintained its harshness. "Bakura, you're as cold as an icicle."  
  
A tear slipped out from between Bakura's tightly shut eyelids onto Yami Bakura's hand. The tear was hardly even warm.  
  
Yami Bakura swept the blanket off the ground and wrapped Bakura in it tightly. Then Yami Bakura pulled Bakura into a corner and embraced him tightly.  
  
Bakura rested in his Yami's arms, astonished. One moment Yami Bakura was trying to kill him and the next, Yami Bakura was trying to save Bakura from death. Bakura was extremely confused but he cuddled up next to his Yami's warm body.  
  
Yami Bakura pulled his jacket out from under himself and covered his head with it. The rain was freezing, even for summer. Yami Bakura shivered slightly and held Bakura even tighter.  
  
The rain lasted hours and neither Bakura nor Yami Bakura spoke for the whole time. It seemed like forever until the rain stopped, but it did finally.  
  
Bakura had time to think things through. His final decision, he was going to do what Yami Bakura had told him to. He knew that if he didn't Yami Bakura would not let Bakura die and just torture him till he did as he was told.  
  
"Yami," He said lightly, barely enough to hear.  
  
"What do you want?!" Came his Yami's gruff voice.  
  
"Yami...I'll do it, I'll steal Yugi's puzzle..."  
  
"You will?" Yami Bakura's voice sounded a little surprised but he soon went back to his gruff tone. "I knew you'd see it my way sooner or later." 


	13. Yami Yugi Fore Sees

Chapter 13  
Yami Yugi Fore Sees  
  
Yugi looked up from his card game with his grandfather, and looked out the window. "Look, Grandpa, the rain stopped and it's starting to clear up.  
  
Yugi's Grandfather, Salomon Mutou, looked out the window. "I think you're right, Yugi." He said in his aged voice.  
  
Salomon was a short, stocky, elderly man. He greatly resembled Yugi only with gray hair that wasn't as wild, with a short mustache and beard. His skin folded over itself to form many wrinkles. He looked wise and worldly to many, which he very much was.  
  
The jingle of the bell over the shops front door caught Yugi's attention. "Someone's here, Grandpa. I'll go see what they want."  
  
Yugi lived with his grandfather over the shop that they owned. The shops' name was the 'Turtle Game Shop.'  
  
Salomon nodded, "I'll be there in a minuet."  
  
Yugi stood up, left the living room, and went downstairs to the shop. "Hello, welcome, how may I..." Yugi cut himself off as soon as he saw who it was. "...Bakura? What are you doing here?"  
  
Bakura stood in the doorway. His body was soaked and water was dripping off him, onto the floor. His long silvery-white hair was drenched and it hung heavily off his head. Gauze bulged out from under his clothes in some places. On his back he carried his soaked backpack. "Hello, Yugi...I'm sorry about your floor." Bakura looked down at the large puddle that he was forming on the floor. "I've come too see your grandfather, Salomon Mutou."  
  
"You've come to see me, Young man?" Salomon stood in the doorway between the shop and the staircase.  
  
Bakura looked up at Salomon, "Oh, Mr. Mutou. Yes, as a matter of fact, I have."  
  
"You're one of Yugi's friends, right? And you want to learn to duel, is that it?"  
  
"Yes I am sir. My name is Bakura. But I already know the game of Duel-Monsters, although I am not too good. But I am not here for that."  
  
"Then what are you here for?" Yugi asked before Salomon could.  
  
Bakura looked down at his feet, "I'm actually looking for a place to stay."  
  
Yugi and Salomon just stared at Bakura.  
  
Bakura continued quickly before they had a chance to say anything. "I can't be with my aunt now..." Bakura said, his thoughts on the car accident, but he turned his mind back to what he was trying to do. "It would only be for a little while, and I'd work in your store to pay off your hospitality if you take me in for a little while." Bakura looked back up with pleading eyes.  
  
Yugi thought about what Bakura had been through with his aunt. He remembered the blood all over Bakura's hands, and the cuts that gushed blood. Yugi and Salomon knew nothing about the accident.  
  
"Sure, Bakura," Yugi said before Salomon could make up his mind. "You can stay with us for a little while.  
  
Salomon didn't look angry, even though Yugi had made a snap decision like that. "I guess if it's okay with Yugi, than it's okay with me."  
  
"Oh, thank you ever so much." Bakura said in a soft tone.  
  
"Let's clean you up, my dear boy and we shall see what you can do." Salomon said, pushing Bakura into the bathroom. "I'll wash your clothes for you."  
  
After Bakura's shower, Salomon began to teach Bakura about how to take care of the shop. Salomon stood behind the counter and was pointing things out to Bakura.  
  
"There," Salomon said pointing down at a glass counter with about 30 cards or so inside. Each card proudly displayed in a stand. "There are some of my most valuable cards for sale. They can sell for over hundreds of dollars. I never trust anyone with them except for Yugi. How good are you at taking care of cards?"  
  
"I'll let you be the judge of that." Bakura carefully unzipped his backpack and rummaged around in it. He pulled out a small wooden box, nicely polished so that it shined. On its cover was a serene landscape of cherry trees, just blooming in the spring. The blossoms were a soft whisper of pink and the sky was a magnificent royal blue. Bakura removed the lid to reveal a deck of Duel-Monster cards.  
  
Salomon picked up the lid and looked at it. "What a wonderful work of art. Do you know who painted it?"  
  
Bakura nodded, "My mother."  
  
"It's beautiful. She must be a great painter."  
  
Bakura didn't say a word. He carefully removed the deck from the box. Every single card had a plastic card protector on it. Bakura placed his deck of cards on the counter and pushed them towards Salomon.  
  
Salomon picked up the deck and flipped through the cards. "Your cards are in nice condition. I doubt if even Yugi keeps his cards in this nice of a condition. Your deck is supernatural based. Is it not?"  
  
"Occult, Sir." Bakura said.  
  
Salomon stopped as he reached the 'Change of Heart' card. "Ah...the Change of Heart. This is a rare and powerful card. I don't think I even have one anymore. Would you ever think of selling it, hypothetically of coarse?"  
  
Bakura looked at his 'Change of Heart' in Salomon's hands, "It's my favorite..."  
  
"I see..." Salomon put Bakura's deck back into the box and put the lid back on it.  
  
Up in the living room Yugi was lying, sprawled out on the couch. He was watching a documentary on cheese. He yawned lightly and closed his eyes. The narrator of the documentary had a tedious voice. Yugi didn't bother to turn off the television; he just let the dull voice of the narrator put him to sleep.  
  
Everything around Yugi was dark. He was no longer sleeping on his couch, but to find himself standing into a world of endless darkness. Where was he? How would he get back?  
  
Yugi figured it was a dream and attempted to wake up, but it was no use he was stuck.  
  
"Yugi." A deep, powerful, proud voice boomed behind Yugi.  
  
Yugi turned around, "Yami!" He yelled happily and ran towards his Yami, known as Yami Yugi.  
  
Yami Yugi looked a lot like Yugi, although Yami Yugi was a bit taller and more slender. He had the same hairstyle and color of hair as Yugi, except Yami Yugi had blonde, lightning-bolt shaped streaks that traveled up each of the spikes in his hair. He stared at Yugi through more almond-shaped eyes and he carried somewhat more of a mature look to him.  
  
Yugi ran up to Yami Yugi and hugged him. "Yami, it's good to see you."  
  
Yami Yugi hunched over and embraced Yugi. "Same here, but I am afraid that I may be the bearer of bad news."  
  
Yugi let go of Yami Yugi and stepped back, looking up at his Yami form. The smile faded from his face. "What is it? What happened?"  
  
"It's not what happened really...it is about what is going to happen..."  
  
"Yami, I don't understand what you mean."  
  
"Yugi, this is about Bakura."  
  
"What?! Is he in danger?!"  
  
"Yes...he is, Yugi. He's been in danger for a long time. That Yami of his beats him for even breathing. His aunt makes him slave for her. But that isn't my concern right now."  
  
"What is your concern? How could you not be concerned about that?!"  
  
"No, no...I'm concerned about that too, but I'm concerned about something else right now."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your safety. By letting Bakura stay with you, you put yourself in danger."  
  
"What else was I supposed to do?! Let him die? If you haven't noticed Bakura is dying. I can see it. The last day of school, I learned that he was planning suicide. Have you seen all the scars on his back? They aren't even healing properly. He's bone thin and he has a broken rib. I'm sure I've only seen a little of what he's going through."  
  
"No, Yugi, listen to me. When he walked in here today, I sensed something. It felt like betrayal. Bakura is going to betray you, and I'm pretty sure that Yami Bakura is behind this somehow."  
  
"Bakura would never betray me! I know him and he isn't like that!"  
  
"Suit yourself. I guess I can't convince you to believe me. Just watch out for yourself, Yugi. I'll be here if you need." And with that, Yami Yugi disappeared into the darkness.  
There was silence once again. 


	14. The Shop's New Keeper

Chapter 14  
The Shop's New Keeper  
  
The phone rang. Yugi opened his eyes and broke the darkness. He sat up. "Yami..." He said quietly, feeling guilty that he hadn't believed his Yami. Yami Yugi wasn't wrong very often. What if Bakura really was out to betray him?  
  
The phone rang again, bringing Yugi back to reality. Yugi picked up the receiver and put it up to his ear. "Hello?"  
  
The voice on the other end was familiarly and goofy, "Hey, Yug!" A nickname that Joey had given him.  
  
"Oh...hi, Joey." Yugi said into the receiver.  
  
"Hey, Yug, me and Tristan..."  
  
"Tristan and I."  
  
"So what? I didn't fail English for nothing. Anyways, Me and...I mean, Tristan and I... were thinking of going to the diner for lunch tomorrow, and then going to the ice rink to go skating."  
  
"Oh really? That ought to be fun. But I can't skate..."  
  
"Me and Tristan can't either. 'Bout time we learned, huh Yug?"  
  
"Sounds great! What time?"  
  
"We meet at the diner at noon. Oh, and tell Tea, it would be great if we could all be there."  
  
Yugi thought about what Joey had said for a second. "Funny you didn't mention Bakura..."  
  
There was a pause of silence before Joey answered again. "I didn't think he'd be up to it."  
  
"Joey...I think Bakura is very lonely and very depressed. Why can't we let him come along?"  
  
"Do you think his aunt will let him?"  
  
"Joey, Bakura isn't with his aunt right now. He's staying here, with Grandpa and I for a little while."  
  
"He is? Why? What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. He didn't tell me much. He just walked in and said he couldn't stay with his aunt right now, and asked if he could stay with us."  
  
"Oh...okay. Well my mom is practically beating me with a broom to try and get me to mow the lawn. I don't see why she makes me do it. I always screw it up somehow."  
  
"Okay," Yugi said with a laugh, "talk to you later. Bye!"  
  
"See ya tomorrow, Yug."  
  
There was a click and then a dial tone on the other end of the line. Yugi hung up shortly after.  
  
Yugi picked up the remote control and turned off the television, which was now displaying a commercial for dog food. Yugi got up and trotted into the kitchen. Salomon was sitting at a card table, drinking a cup of coffee. Yugi walked over to the other end of the table and sat down.  
  
"Hey, Grandpa. How is your training going with Bakura?"  
  
Salomon took a sip from his coffee cup and placed it back down on the table. He smiled at Yugi pleasantly, "The boys' a natural. He caught on very quick and he is very polite. He seems like such an intelligent young man. Why didn't you invite him over more often?"  
  
"Grandpa, he's just a school friend. I've only known him for a little while. And he's usually very busy..." Yugi thought about all the work that Bakura did for his aunt.  
  
"You should hang around him more often. He could really teach you a thing or two. Why can't you act more like him?"  
  
Out of embarrassment and anger, Yugi said the first thing that came to his mind. "I don't want to act like him, he acts weird!"  
  
Salomon looked at Yugi wide-eyed. Salomon didn't move; he just stared at Yugi in his surprise. Yugi usually never lashed out like that, and if he did it was never something mean about someone else.  
  
Yugi quickly drew himself back to think about what he had just said about Bakura. Bakura never wanted to act weird. He had kept himself mostly isolated from social contact with others because he feared for their safety; he hadn't wanted Yami Bakura to hurt them. He didn't have many friends because he refused to get too close to anyone. Yugi remembered how hard it had been to become friends with Bakura because he refused to get close, and refused to trust anyone, and refused to talk.  
  
Yugi thought hard about this. Bakura was, trying to keep others safe at his own expense. Who was Yugi to badmouth a friend just trying to protect others?  
  
"Grandpa...I didn't mean to say that...I'm sorry..."  
Salomon didn't say a thing. He just raised his coffee mug up to his lips and took another sip, all the while, still staring at Yugi. Something in Salomon's eyes told Yugi that he should check on Bakura. So without another word, Yugi left the kitchen and descended downstairs to the shop.  
  
"Hello." Bakura greeted Yugi with a forced smile.  
Something in Bakura's eyes and in his tone of voice told Yugi that Bakura was hurting on the inside.  
  
"Hi, Bakura...What's up?" Yugi said trying his best to be cheerful.  
  
"Nothing really..." Bakura looked back down at what he was doing.  
Yugi watched Bakura clean the surface of the glass counter. Yugi watched Bakura for a few minuets. The way Bakura moved was so agonizing. The slow jerking motion he used to wash the counter. As much as it seemed Bakura was trying to hide his inner pain, Yugi could easily see it.  
  
"Bakura?" Yugi said softly, walking to the edge of the counter and looking up at Bakura.  
  
"Yes?" Bakura said in an even softer voice, his pained tone still showing through. He did not stop washing the counter  
  
Yugi moved closer to Bakura until he was right next to Bakura. Yugi placed his hand on Bakura's working hand. Bakura stopped his hand immediately but did not look up at Yugi.  
  
"Bakura...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Yugi looked up at the side of Bakura's face.   
  
Bakura didn't look back. "What are you talking about Yugi? You did nothing wrong."  
  
"Bakura...please...I know you heard what I said. I'm sorry I said it. I didn't mean it. I was angry because, grandpa was comparing me to you. I suppose he's right. You are a much better person than me." Yugi frowned as he said this to show his remorse. "Please forgive me."  
  
"No, Yugi..." Bakura said still looking at the counter top. He no longer tried to hide his agonizing tone. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I am weird...and I haven't been a very good friend either. You've done so much for me, and even now, you accept me into your home. I've done nothing for you. And here I am, forced against you by that demon..." Bakura halted. Even his breathing stopped.  
  
Yugi looked confused, "Bakura? What are you talking about? You've done a lot for me and you're helping Grandpa and me out. And what do you mean by demon?"  
  
Bakura exhaled and continued with his work of cleaning the counter. "Noting...nothing at all."  
  
Yugi took Bakura's arm in both hands and pulled him away from the counter. "Bakura..." Tears began to well up in Yugi's eyes.  
  
Bakura didn't look at Yugi; he just stared down at his feet.  
  
Tears slowly did tumbles down Yugi's rosy cheeks. "Bakura...please...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like I did. And I would most appreciate it if you found it in your heart to forgive me."  
  
Bakura didn't move.  
  
Yugi sniffed loudly and let out a small sob. More tears found their way out of his eyes, down his cheeks, and onto the floor, or Yugi's shirt. "Please...please..." Yugi let out another louder sob and buried his face into Bakura's chest, almost too high for Yugi to reach. Yugi's tears soaked Bakura's shirt with salty water.  
  
The tears just kept coming, until Yugi felt someone rest their hand softly on his head. He looked up into Bakura's dark eyes. There was a small smile on his face. Even with the pain, Yugi found the smile warm and comforting.  
  
Yugi smiled slightly too and looked at Bakura with his teary eyes. "I didn't mean it when I said that mean thing, Bakura. I don't think that about you. You aren't weird."  
  
"I trust you, Yugi..." Bakura said.  
  
"Thanks Bakura...you're the best." Yugi wrapped his arms tightly around Bakura's waist and hugged him.  
  
"Yugi?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Please don't take this offensively, but perhaps you should stop...People might see and make rumors..."  
  
Yugi let go of Bakura's waist. He then looked over at the big glass windows and door that took up most of the front wall of the store. "You're right!" Yugi said with a laugh. "I have to call Tea anyways."  
  
Yugi was back upstairs and on the phone in a flash. Bakura was back to work in the store, cleaning, organizing, and whatnot.  
  
Yugi dialed Tea's number. The phone rang. Yugi waited for Tea to pick up. Yugi heard a click on the other end of the line and then the voice of Tea, his love interest.  
  
"Hello?" Tea said sweetly.  
  
"Hi, Tea!" Yugi said, happy that he had reached her and was now talking with her privately. Tristan and Joey both really knew how to kill a conversation.  
  
"Oh, is this Yugi?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me." Yugi said with a slight laugh.  
  
"Hi, Yugi! What's up?"  
  
"Well, Tristan, Joey, and I, were all thinking of going to the diner for lunch around noon, and then we were going to go ice skating. Want to come?"  
  
"Do I?! I love to skate, although I'm not too good." Tea sounded excited.  
  
"So, is that a yes?"  
  
"YES! See you there! Bye!"  
  
There was a click on the other end and the dial tone. Yugi held the receiver at in front of himself at arms length and stared at it blankly. 'Girls...' he thought to himself and shook his head. 


	15. Bakura to the Rescue

Chapter 15  
Bakura to the Rescue  
  
A wonderful aroma filled Yugi's nostrils and made his mouth water. He opened his eyes, sat up, and looked at his alarm clock. It was 9:30 in the morning. He never slept that late on a school day. Yugi then sniffed the air again. Something certainly smelled good. It smelled like food, but Yugi knew all too well that his grandfather wasn't the best of cooks.  
  
Yugi slipped out of bed and changed his clothes, and then he ascended down the hall towards the kitchen, which seemed to be the source of that scrumptious smell. As he stepped in the range of the kitchen doorway he could hear the sizzle of food on the stove. The smell was just too good to bear. He closed his eyes and let his nose guide him into the kitchen.  
  
Yugi opened his eyes after stubbing his toe on the table. "Ow!" He yelped. He saw that Bakura and Salomon were both in the kitchen looking at him. Salomon sat at the table with a cup of what looked like coffee in his hand and the newspaper was laid out in front of him. Bakura stood in front of the stove with a spatula in his hand.  
  
"Good morning, Yugi." Salomon said in his kind and elderly voice.  
  
Bakura smiled at Yugi softly and gave him an assuring nod before returning to the stove and continuing to cook.  
  
"Morning, Grandpa. Morning, Bakura." Yugi said with a smile and blushed slightly because of his slight mishap with the table leg.  
  
"You're just in time. Breakfast's almost ready. Isn't that right Bakura?" Salomon said, returning to his newspaper.  
  
"Yes, it is, Sir." Bakura said, still cooking away.  
  
Yugi walked up behind Bakura and peeked around him to see how the breakfast was coming. There was a skillet filled with a large omelet that had an oh-so delightful fragrance. A pan that was next to the omelet contained a package of sausages and they were making a delicious sizzling sound. And there was one more pan on the stove that was turning a batch of pancakes a delectable golden brown.  
  
All the food looked so good. Yugi could practically taste the food. It teased him from the stove. Yugi looked up at Bakura who looked back with a sweet but tired smile.  
  
"Can you get me two plates please, Yugi?"  
  
"Alright, Yugi reached into the cupboard and pulled out two large plates. He handed them to Bakura, who turned off the stove and began to pile food onto the plates.  
  
Yugi drooled as he watched Bakura stack the food onto the plates. Yugi followed Bakura to the table as he served the food. "Eat up." He said with his usual sweet but tired grin.  
  
Yugi sat at the table and picked up his fork, ready to dig, in when he realized something was missing. "Bakura?"  
  
"Yes, Yugi?" Bakura said with a curious voice.  
  
"Something's missing..."  
  
"Oh! Whoops." Bakura spun around and grabbed the bottle of maple syrup off the counter, spun back and placed it on the table. "I'm so sorry about that."  
  
Yugi looked at Bakura wide-eyed and speechless.  
  
Salomon looked at Bakura with a worried look. "Bakura...I think Yugi means that you forgot make any food for yourself."  
  
"Oh, I know." Bakura said. "Just because I'm not having any doesn't mean it's poisoned. Go ahead and eat. Do you not like it?"  
  
"I know you didn't poison it, Bakura." Salomon said with one of his lecturing voices. "And it looks very good. But I'm worried about your health. You need food to live."  
  
"I'm fine. Really, don't worry about me." Bakura said then looked down at his stomach, which was empty again. "I will eat...later. I'm not too hungry now." Truth was that Bakura was really hungry, but he didn't want to upset his stomach by eating like he had the other night. The sandwich Yami Bakura had given him wasn't very much.  
  
Bakura stared down at Yugi's Millennium puzzle. 'I'll eat later...much later...I hope that sandwich can hold me over until I get that puzzle. I'm so sorry, Yugi...'  
  
Yugi took a nice big bite of his omelet. The taste was unbeatable. "Wow, Bakura. You really can cook. Are you sure you don't want any?"  
  
"I'm sure, Yugi." Bakura said with a smile. He shortly left and went downstairs to the shop.  
  
"Done with the comics, Grandpa?" Yugi asked between bites.  
  
"Sure, Yugi." Salomon said ruffling the papers. He pulled the comics out of the paper and handed them to Yugi. Salomon then handed the comics to Yugi, who took them gratefully.  
  
Salomon looked back at his paper. His jaw dropped. His hand stiffed around his coffee cup. His eyes grew large.  
  
"Grandpa?" Yugi looked worried. After Salomon didn't answer, Yugi got up and stood behind Salomon, looking over his shoulder to see what was making Salomon act so strangely.  
  
Yugi also grew speechless as he saw the article.  
  
There, on the page, was an article about a car accident that had happened 2 days ago. It had collided with a train. There had been a women and a teenage boy in the car. What startled Yugi most was the teenage boy's picture. It was Bakura!  
  
Yugi and Salomon were both speechless, but kept reading on.  
  
It appeared, from the witness reports, that the car had slid and hit the train on the driver's side. Bakura had pulled his aunt out of the car and took her a safe distance before the car had exploded. Bakura's aunt was severely injured in the accident, but lived, and had a leg amputated, but she was making a full recovery. Bakura, however, had run from the scene shortly after the car had exploded. His injuries looked pretty severe with glass lodged in his skin. A man had caught him and tried to take him to the hospital but Bakura had been delusional at the time and refused to be taken there. By now, he was believed to be dead.  
  
Yugi was the first to say anything, and his choice of words wasn't much. "Oh, Bakura..."  
  
"I don't understand. Why didn't he tell us?" Salomon said. He put the newspaper down slowly and took a long sip from his coffee cup.  
  
"Grandpa..." Yugi said, almost in terror. "Bakura's aunt...she was a bad person...she did terrible things to him..." Yugi took a quivering breath. "She made him work hard, and she starved him. He lived in the basement. She didn't even care about him. I read a part of his journal. He was planning suicide because he thought no one cared."  
  
"Yugi..." Salomon said, holding out his arms to comfort Yugi.  
  
Yugi welcomed the embrace. He began to cry it Salomon's arms. He cried for Bakura. Poor Bakura who had always worked so hard and been so nice about it and never got anything pleasant from anyone. All he got was pain and suffering. To Yugi, it just didn't seem fair.  
  
2 hours later, Yugi stood in the shop and watched Bakura work. He watched as Bakura lifted heavy boxes full of merchandise and moved them. His muscles strained under the weight of the boxes but he was able to lift them and carry them. One by one, he picked them up and trudged with them to the back of the shop.  
  
Yugi knew he should be on his way to the diner; it was only half an hour till his friends would meet there. There was only about one box at the front of the shop, so Yugi walked over and attempted to pick it up. Yugi clutched the edges and pulled with all of his strength. He just managed to lift the box off the floor about an inch or two before dropping it. "Wow...these are heavy..." Yugi said after a deep breath.  
  
Bakura came back and picked the box up with some strain. "It's alright Yugi..." Bakura said with a huff. He then trudged off to the back of the shop with the large box.  
  
"Bakura," Yugi said as Bakura returned to the counter, "are you sure you don't want to come?"  
  
Bakura looked over at Yugi with a small smile. "It's alright, Yugi. I have way too much work here."  
  
"Nonsense." A voice said coming down the stairwell. It was Salomon's voice and you could see him as he stepped off the last step and into the light. "This place is spotless. You've done a fine job." Salomon took a step closer to Yugi but he still looked at Bakura. "Why don't you go with Yugi and have a good time with your friends?"  
  
"Well," Bakura said. "There's still a lot of work to be done here. I have to unpack the stock and arrange the cards in Alphabetical order..."  
  
"Bakura. Even I'm leaving. I need to go shopping and I wont be back till later."  
  
"I'll be fine here. Don't worry. I can take care of myself. Please. Go ahead."  
  
Yugi looked at Bakura, knowing that Bakura actually could be quite stubborn if he wanted to be. "Well, I guess I'll see you later then. Bye." Yugi open the door and the little bell above it jingled as he left.  
  
"I guess you can stay then...But be careful." Salomon slipped his wallet into his back pocket and he too left, making the little bell over the door jingle.  
  
6 o' clock rolled around. Yugi had spent countless hours with Joey, Tristan, and Tea; Eating, talking, and skating. It had been great for all of them, but good times end. Tristan and Joey had gone back to their homes. Yugi walked next to Tea. He was walking her home.  
  
"Well, this is it." Tea said, coming up to a cute, well taken care of house. "Thanks, Yugi. I had a lot of fun with you and Joey and Tristan."  
  
"Yeah, it was fun, wasn't it?" Yugi said and laughed slightly. "So would you like to, you know...go somewhere next week?"  
  
"Where?" Tea's voice was decorated with curiosity.  
  
"I don't know...just out...somewhere, just with me. Would you be willing to come?"  
  
"Yeah. I would." Tea smiled at Yugi sweetly. "You're a real good guy, Yugi. You know that?"  
  
Yugi laughed slightly and blushed. "I've been told that."  
  
"It's true." Tea smiled and giggled and her cheeks turned a rosy pink. She turned to her left and looked at the setting sun. "Ah, what a beautiful sunset."  
  
"Almost as pretty as you." Yugi said without thinking or turning away from Tea. After realizing what he had said, his face flushed with color and he could feel his ears grow hot.  
  
Tea turned back to Yugi. Her cheeks were even pinker. "Oh...thanks, Yugi. You're really sweet." She then ascended the stairs to the door of her cute little house. "I'll see you Yugi. Call me."  
  
"Bye, Tea." Yugi said, waving to her.  
  
Tea waved at Yugi before closing the door.  
  
After Yugi was sure that Tea was out of earshot and that no one was looking, Yugi let out a loud, "Whoop!"  
  
He pranced down the street happily. He felt as light as a feather, as if he could almost be picked up by the wind. It was such a good feeling; Yugi wished it would never end. But then again, who in their right mind would want it too? His joy was seen as he skipped down the empty streets. He probably would have thought it strange that the street was empty if he were paying any attention to what he was doing. Then again, he would have also seen the upcoming danger.  
  
As Yugi skipped down the street, he passed an alleyway. Something grabbed him, stopping him in his tracks. It was a hand, a large one at that. It had gripped the back of Yugi's shirt and had stopped his forward momentum.  
  
Yugi could feel his fear rising. He had almost made it home. He was right next to his and Salomon's shop.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Yugi could see a large man stepped out of the shadows. He was attached to the hand with kept its grip on Yugi.  
  
Yugi squirmed. He kicked his legs and waved his arms. The man pulled Yugi into the alleyway in which he came. He chucked Yugi against the brick wall. Yugi slid to the ground and slumped against the wall. From where he was he got a better look at the man. The man was apparently a mugger. He dressed in a black sweat suit and black sneakers. He was pretty tall and brawny, especially compared to little Yugi. The mugger's face was covered in one of those skiing masks. It was black, to match his sweat suit and sneakers. The whole outfit looked very warm, also considering it was a warm summer day.  
  
"Alright, punk. Gimme your goods!" The man said in a deep surly, tone.  
  
"I - I...don't have anything..." Yugi stuttered. Sure he had stood up to big bullies in school, but now it was life or death, and the man was a lot bigger and seemed more dangerous than a bad-tempered school bully.  
  
"You got something valuable, twerp!" He grunted. "You had better, or else..."  
  
Or else?! Yugi didn't like 'or else's'. They always resulted in something painful.  
  
"I don't have anything...I'd like to so I could give you something, though..." He said quietly.  
  
"Well, we'll just see how truthful you are." The bully bent down and stuck his almost-too-big hands into Yugi's pockets. All he managed to pull out was a bit of pocket lint and a ticket stub for the ice skating rink. "What?!" He said, standing to his full height. "You got notin'? You're holding out, tiny." He placed his large foot onto Yugi's stomach and pressed down.  
  
Yugi could feel the bruise on his back, from being thrown, start to ache. He let out a loud scream. There was nothing else he could do. Where was Yami Yugi?  
  
Since Yugi was right next to the shop, Bakura, who was still posted at the counter of the shop, could hear Yugi's scream loud and well. Bakura rushed outside to see what all of the commotion was about. He peered around the corner of the building and saw the bully, squishing Yugi like a bug.  
  
"Leave him alone!" Bakura stood at the head of the alleyway. He puffed out his chest, to try to make himself look bigger, but his slender figure didn't look much bigger. "He didn't do anything to you!"  
  
The mugger looked at Bakura and at once started laughing. "Look! The rest of the freak show is here! Hey, midget, your skinny albino circus friend has come to save you! This is just too funny!" The guy laughed harder at his rude joke.  
  
Bakura charged. He rammed into the mugger with his shoulder and all of his strength and weight thrown in.  
  
The mugger lost balance and fell over, off of Yugi, because of the force of the hit. He hit the ground with a large thud.  
  
Bakura stood where the mugger had stood. His posture showed his courage. His fists were clenched and it was easy to tell his teeth were gritted behind his frown.  
  
Yugi looked up at Bakura and saw something in Bakura he had never seen before, anger. Bakura had always seemed so mild-mannered. Yugi had seen that Bakura was brave, strong of heart, and intelligent. He had never shown otherwise. But Yugi had never seen Bakura really angry. The thought of it actually scared Yugi. Sure Bakura had been angry, but never like this. This was more like enraged.  
  
The mugger got up, angrier than before, "I'm gonna rough your skinny ass up real good!"  
  
Bakura stared at the mugger, unafraid. It even occurred to him that he, himself, had changed. "Leave my friend alone...do what you want to me, but leave him alone...he did nothing to you."  
  
The mugger grabbed Bakura's wrist and spun Bakura around, then grabbed Bakura's other wrist and pinned his arms to his back. The mugger pushed Bakura up against the brick wall and began to search through his pockets. "You don't, got anything..."  
  
"No, I don't." Bakura said, anger still burning like a fire inside of him.  
  
"I'm gonna kill you and hang your head off the flagpole in Washington..."  
  
Bakura actually found that comment somewhat stupid. 'What a moron...' Bakura thought to himself. He was too angry to be scared. "Go ahead. Kill me. I have nothing to live for. It'd be a favor."  
  
"Alright, wise guy!" The mugger threw Bakura to the ground and the mugger put his foot onto Bakura's back and began to add pressure.  
  
Bakura struggled under the weight. It hurt felt as if a boulder was slowly being put on his back. A loud cracking noise came from Bakura's chest as the mugger, about ten times Bakura's weight, applied more pressure. Bakura gasped for air as his lungs collapsed but couldn't get any because there was no room for his lungs to inflate. It didn't take long until there was another cracking noise. Bakura would have howled, he was still alive, but there was no air in him to make any noise. He was practically flattened. It wouldn't be long before his ribcage collapsed.  
  
Yugi watched helplessly. What could he do? He was afraid and was panicking on the inside.  
  
Yugi felt strange for a second, and then he felt a powerful force push him out of the way. Not physically, but mentally. Yami Yugi.  
  
Yami Yugi had finally come, and was standing where Yugi had been. "Let him go! You have no business here!" He said in his powerful pharaoh   
voice.  
  
The mugger turned around, lightening his weight on Bakura's ribcage.  
  
Air filled Bakura's lungs and his body literally regained its shape and size.  
  
The mugger looked confused as he saw Yami Yugi, "Who the hell are you and where did you come from?!"  
  
"It's none of your concern who I am. You shouldn't even be here." Yami Yugi raised his hand, palm toward the bully. The Senen eye on Yami Yugi's forehead glowed. "Mind Crush!" He shouted.  
  
The mugger felt, what felt like, a terrible rattling of his brain. As if the sound waves of the words were so powerful, they caused physical damage. He fell over, knocked out. 


	16. Silencing Of The Heart

Chapter 16  
Silencing of the Heart  
  
Bakura opened his eyes and gazed up at the ceiling. His chest hurt. His back hurt. Everything hurt. He realized that he was in the guestroom at Yugi's house. The one he had slept in the night before. He got up slowly. And immediately felt a sharp achy pain in the left side of his chest. He gently prodded his left side and moaned loudly. It hurt. He could hear the cracking of his ribs over and over in his head. That was the last he could remember about last night, everything that happened afterwards was just a blur.  
  
Someone knocked on the door loudly. The sound of it made Bakura's head ache. "Come in...just please stop banging on the door..." Bakura said weakly.  
  
The knocking stopped and the door cracked open slightly. An elderly, purple eye, surrounded in tanned, wrinkled skin, looked at Bakura from the slightly opened door. The door creaked open fully, to reveal that the eye belonged to Salomon. "Feeling better, Bakura?" He said with a grin.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Mutou." Bakura said, trying to be as pleasant as possible through his pain. "I'm not really sure how I was feeling before, so I can't exactly answer that question."  
  
"It's alright." Salomon said, wandering over to the side of the guest bed and sitting on it. "And by the way, it's about noon now. We were afraid you might have been in a coma."  
  
"You aren't going to take me to the hospital, are you?" Bakura shivered slightly at the thought of going back to the hospital.  
  
"Well..." Concern grew into Salomon's voice. "I was going to take you to the hospital...and I think that it is important that I still do."  
  
"There's no need, Mr. Mutou, sir. I'll be alright." Bakura said and thought back to the cracking of his bones, which certainly didn't make Bakura all right.  
  
"Your injuries seem pretty serious, along with all of those cuts and scars you have all over you." Salomon said pointing at the left side of Bakura's chest.  
  
Bakura cupped both of his hands over the area with the 3 broken ribs as though trying to hide them. "I'll be fine. Don't worry yourself. I don't need to go to the hospital. Is Yugi okay?"  
  
"Yugi? Well, he has a big bruise on his back and he's a little shaken up, but he will be alright."  
  
"I'm glad he's okay," Bakura said before taking a deep breath and then letting it go.  
  
"Yes, it is a wonderful thing that he is okay, but I'm not so sure if you are okay." Salomon tried to put into words the way he felt about what Bakura had done for him. "You really are a wonderful employee. You work hard, you do more then your share, you even do work on the side, and you never ask for anything in return. You did work that would usually take Yugi and I a week to do, in 2 days. I've never found a deal like that, that came without a catch, although you claim there's none." Salomon took a deep breath before continuing. "You've worked yourself to death. Either you've got the kindest heart in the world...or there's something you want from me, and you must want it pretty bad to work the way you do for it."  
  
Bakura quivered slightly thinking about the true mission his Yami had sent him there for. "Sir...I don't know what to say. I can assure you that there's nothing that you have that I desire that badly. I needed a place to stay. That's all I really wanted. But if you are implying that you do not want me to stay, I'll leave." Bakura thought again about his lie. But he came to the decision that it wasn't really a lie, just slight of tongue. He wasn't here for anything of Salomon's. The Millennium puzzle was Yugi's. And Bakura had no desire for the puzzle; it was Yami Bakura who wanted it. Bakura only wanted a place to stay, because life with his Yami was Hell.  
  
"Not want you to stay?! That's nonsense! You're the best worker I've ever had. Why would I not want you to stay? You're welcome here as long as you like; in fact I encourage you to stay with us."  
  
"Thank you, Sir. You're hospitality has been wonderful. I don't know what I can do to repay you for your kindness..."  
  
"There you go again. Stop being so modest. You've done more than enough. I owe you, not the other way around."  
  
Bakura just looked away, out the window. The sun hug overhead, shining off the metallic surfaces of cars the drove passed the shop.  
  
Salomon knew it was probably a sign that Bakura didn't want to converse anymore. "I'll leave you to yourself then..." Salomon stood on his old creaking bones and walked out of the guestroom closing the door on his way out.  
  
Bakura's sad, clouded eyes burned with the bright rays of the sun that shined off the chrome of one passing car. He really was a mess. His whole life had been a mess; he began pondering about this. Why him? What had he done to deserve what life had dealt him?  
  
'Life...mine is a fate worse than death. Ever since my mother died it's just been all downhill for me. I've been unhappy for so long, I don't know if I could ever be truly happy again. I've been tortured my whole life since my mother died. I wish it had been me instead of her. How I miss her. She was such a wonderful woman. She was the only person I truly loved. I never got very close to my father; he was always away on business trips. But then again...my Yami...I love him too, although he despises me. I don't know why I love him...my dark half. Maybe because without him I feel incomplete...'  
  
All of these thoughts jumbled themselves up in Bakura's head. He pondered them for a while when on thought in particular struck him hard.  
  
'Why do I live? What place do I have on this earth? Clearly I am not wanted, nor needed if my life is this terrible...'  
  
Bakura looked over at the nightstand. His journal sat there in its black, tattered, leather bindings with a half eaten pencil next to it. It certainly wasn't Bakura's pencil, because he never chewed on his. He picked up the chew toy of a pencil and began jotting all the ideas down on the next clean sheet of his journal.  
  
As soon as the pencil tip touched the water-stained paper he was off writing, even with his lack of strength.  
  
After about half an hour of writing and checking over his entry, Bakura heard the creak of the door being opened. He closed his journal and looked up to see none other than his small friend, Yugi. He was in his red tractor pajamas and he had a folded up chessboard under his right arm. He frowned slightly at the sight of Bakura, which made Bakura's heart sink. He felt ashamed, that even his friend frowned at the sight of him.  
  
In truth, Yugi was frowning because of the state that Bakura was in. Seeing Bakura so sad and sickly made Yugi feel sad.  
  
The light that came from the window only reached as far as the bottom of the bed, casting Bakura into shadow. His skin was paler than usual and he had dark circles around his eyes, which looked even darker in the shadows, giving him an almost corpse-like appearance; like a skeleton with white skin stretched tightly over the bones. The sad look of his dark, clouded, bloodshot eyes didn't help either. And to top it all off, he looked excruciatingly anorexic. His cheekbones stuck out from his cut and bruised face. Even under the loose shirt, his protruding ribs could easily be seen from his dangerously slender torso. The indent from where the 3 broken ribs were, could be seen also.  
  
Yugi and Bakura stared at each other for a while, until finally Yugi forced a smile and held out the chessboard. "Chess, Bakura?"  
  
Bakura nodded and smiled weakly. "I would like that."  
  
Yugi pulled up a chair, placed the chessboard on the nightstand, and began to set up the pieces. "Do you know how to play?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Yes, though I don't believe I'm very good at this game."  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not either."  
  
Bakura just smiled weakly again, but in the back of his mind, he thought of how disgusted he was with himself, ignorant to the fact the Yugi was only frowning because he felt bad for Bakura.  
  
The game progressed. There was little small talk among the two. Bakura's pieces slowly moved closer to victory. As it turned out, Bakura was better than he had put on. But Yugi, being very strategic, put up a very good game, but not good enough to win.  
  
"Checkmate." Bakura said softly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said...checkmate."  
  
Yugi looked over the pieces, seeing if there was a route of escape for his king. "You're right...you win. Good game. You're better than you say."  
  
"Nah, I'm just lucky, that's all. You're still the king of games."  
  
"No, I'm not, my Yami is." Yugi looked down and patted his Millennium puzzle proudly.  
  
Bakura then remembered his mission. Without thinking he reached out and touched the puzzle, almost entranced by its greatness. Then, suddenly, he grabbed it and pulled it towards him, pulling Yugi with it.  
  
Yugi slipped his neck out from the Millennium puzzle's chain and looked up at Bakura, very surprised. He looked at Bakura's eyes, which were focused on the puzzle and had a somewhat distant look in them, even through their mysterious haziness.  
  
"Bakura?" Yugi's voice questioned, a little quiet because he was still slightly in shock.  
  
Yugi's voice seemed to bring Bakura back to reality. Tears seemed to well up in his eyes slightly, but he didn't remove them from the Millennium puzzle that he held in his hands.  
  
Yugi watched him for what seemed like a long time, even if it was only a few minuets.  
  
"No..." Bakura finally said. "I can't. I won't. I could never..." Bakura dropped the Millennium puzzle back into Yugi's lap and looked away from him.  
  
"Bakura, what's wrong?! What happened?!" Yugi's voice was marked with worry.  
  
"I cannot tell you. Please do not ask. May I be alone?" Bakura said quietly. He waited a few moments but heard no reply neither did he hear the sound of Yugi leaving. Bakura turned his head back to what he expected to be Yugi's face, but to no avail. It was Yami Yugi's face instead.  
  
Bakura watched in shock and silence as Yami Yugi raised his hand to Bakura's face. The Senen eye on Yami Yugi's forehead glowed and Bakura felt a jolt to his own forehead before he passed out, falling back onto the bed.  
  
Yami Yugi stood; anger grew in his violet eyes from the knowledge he acquired from Bakura. "I knew you were behind this." He said in a low tone. "You poisoned this poor, sick boy's mind, you twisted maniac. I think it's time we had a talk...Yami Bakura..."  
  
Yami Yugi looked down at the red tractor pajamas that he was wearing. "But first I think I'll change into something decent..."  
Yami Yugi walked down the street in his usual leather attire. His destination? The alley where Yami Bakura hid away. The more Yami Yugi thought about the condition Bakura was in the more his hatred grew for Yami Bakura. At this point, he was enraged.  
  
Yami Yugi came across the alleyway and walked in between the wall and the dumpster.  
  
Because it was late by this time and the sun had mostly gone down behind the horizon, and because there was a building blocking the light from the sun, it was dark in the alley. Yami Yugi looked around. From what little he could see, there was no Yami Bakura.  
  
There was a loud slam on the dumpster and Yami Yugi spun around quickly to look. His gazed up into two glowing, blood red eyes and the dark crouching figure on the dumpster that those two eyes belonged to.  
  
"Yami Bakura..." Yami Yugi said, trying not to let all of his anger get the best of him.  
  
Yami Bakura's figure stood, tall and trim, shoulders back and chest out. His eyes didn't avert from Yami Yugi's face, but they did glow brighter, illuminating Yami Bakura's face with their eerie red glow, showing his large, evil, insane grin. "I sensed your arrival, oh great pharaoh." His voice was harsh.  
  
"Cut it out and get down here and face me you coward! We need to talk!" Yami Yugi narrowed his eyes.  
  
Yami Bakura jumped off the top of the dumpster and landed right in front of Yami Yugi, then stood to his full height, which was quite a taller than Yami Yugi.  
  
"Ouch." Yami Bakura said sarcastically and clutched his chest. "You got me right where it hurts." Then he starting laughing in his own insanity.  
  
"I don't have time for this! This is serious business!"  
  
Yami Bakura stopped laughing and looked at Yami Yugi blankly. "And I care?"  
  
"You should, Yami Bakura! This is important! So important that I wont risk the chance of any mortal overhearing. Come with me to the Shadow Realm."  
  
"I've never listened to you, and I'm not starting now."  
  
Yami Yugi took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger from escaping. "Please, just come with me to the Shadow Realm, there we will talk and I will leave you alone after that."  
  
"Leave me alone? Why, you just don't get it, do you? You wont be leaving...because I will kill you and your Millennium puzzle will belong to me." He chuckled and reached for the knife in his back pocket and began to pull it out.  
  
"Yami Bakura! If you come with me and listen to me I will give you my puzzle! Now please, come with me!"  
  
Yami Bakura put his hand back in its normal resting position and the knife fell out of his pocket and onto the concrete, although Yami Bakura didn't seem to notice. "I don't trust you...but either way your puzzle is mine. Fine, Yami Yugi, I go to the Shadow Realm and have a little heart to heart with you."  
  
Yami Yugi rolled his eyes, "Why do you have to make things so difficult for me?"  
  
"Because I hate you." Yami Bakura said with a grin.  
  
Yami Yugi shook his head, as the world around them became the dark misty world that Yami Bakura had beaten Bakura so often in.  
  
Yami Yugi stared straight into Yami Bakura's eyes, which were no longer glowing. "Listen, Yami Bakura, and listen well. I saw what you did to Bakura, and I know what you were trying to make him do for you."  
  
"The little bastard told, eh?"  
  
"No, I had to read his mind to get the information out of him. He refused to tell me otherwise."  
  
"Well, at least he did what I sent him to do. He brought the Millennium puzzle to me, but I get to kill you as an extra bonus."  
  
"I didn't just come here to get killed and have my puzzle taken from me. I want to talk to you about Bakura."  
  
"Why? What's to talk about? He's stupid and worthless."  
  
"He's not stupid and he's not worthless. I want to talk to you about the way you treat him."  
  
Yami Bakura's voice got colder. "What's wrong with the way I treat him? He is inferior. He is mine and I can do whatever I want to him."  
  
Yami Yugi swallowed his anger. "You do not own him. You are both equal, but then again, you make me wonder sometimes. You act pretty   
low."  
  
"You're saying that he is the superior one?!" Yami Bakura's voice was as cold as ice. "NEVER!"   
  
"Just because you're more aggressive and you can push him around, that's not what makes the man..."  
  
"I think you're wrong..."  
  
"And I think you're a psycho."  
  
"You asshole..." Yami Bakura said under his breath.  
  
Yami Yugi ignored the rude comment and continued talking. "Have you seen Bakura recently? He's dying...from the inside out, and it's already showing on the outside. He's practically dead already, Yami Bakura, and it's all because of you!"  
  
"I don't care! I don't need him anymore!"  
  
"He loves you, Yami Bakura! Can't you see that?! He'd do anything for you, even after you literally beat him to his grave! He still loves you! ...And I think that you love him too, really deep down...you're just afraid to admit it."  
  
Rage built in Yami Bakura's eyes. "Shut up! He means nothing to me! He was just a puppet! I could care less weather he's alive or dead!"  
  
Something told Yami Yugi that this subject really upset Yami Bakura. "It's hard for you to admit things, isn't it, Yami Bakura? Like your love for your hikari..."  
  
Yami Bakura got even angrier. "I said, SHUT UP! I have no love for that stupid bastard of a hikari of mine!"  
  
Yami Yugi actually enjoyed watching Yami Bakura try to deny it all. "Isn't there a soft spot for Bakura in that icy rock that beats in your chest?"  
  
Yami Bakura's anger gathered in his tightly clenched fists and it all met Yami Yugi's face all at once in one powerful punch. Yami Yugi flew backwards and landed on his back about 10 feet from where he was first standing.  
  
Anger still engulfed Yami Bakura and it burned in his dark eyes like wildfire. "I DON'T HAVE A HEART AND I DON'T CARE ABOUT BAKURA!!!"  
  
Yami Yugi chuckled and sat up, nursing his now aching jaw. "The more you deny it the more you discover that you really do love him, because I don't think you know yet. And isn't it funny? That's the first time in this whole conversation that you've actually addressed Bakura by his name instead of an insulting word. Would you have called him by his name if I had said anything different?"  
  
Tears began to well up in Yami Bakura's eyes but he didn't change from his aggressive pose. "Just shut up! I hate you...and I'm going to kill you!"  
  
"Ah, I have found you're weak spot. Now, all I want to know is why you tried to hide your love for Bakura."  
  
"I don't love him!" The tears in Yami Bakura's eyes started streaming down his face.  
  
Yami Yugi stood up and shook his head. "You're so stubborn. Stop trying to hide it, just admit it...I know the truth, and killing me will not change the truth."  
  
"I will never admit to anything! I can't! I wont..." Yami Bakura's voice began to crack a little at the end of his last sentence."  
  
"The only person you're denying the truth from is yourself! Stop and just accept the fact!" Yami Yugi was beginning to get a little annoyed but he knew he was getting somewhere.  
  
"That's it! I've had enough!" Yami Bakura yelled and took a sloppy charge toward Yami Yugi.  
  
Yami Yugi jumped out of the way and Yami Bakura fell to the ground on his knees. He sat there and didn't move.  
  
Yami Yugi watched him for a few minuets and then finally decided that it was safe to get close to Yami Bakura after he heard Yami Bakura sniffle slightly. Yami Yugi kneeled next to the crying Yami.  
  
His voice became unusually quiet. "Yami Bakura, are you okay? Everything will be all right; you don't have to cry. Just tell Bakura how you feel. He doesn't hate you. He loves you too much to hate you."  
  
Yami Bakura sniffled and said quietly, "I can't face him...not after what I've done to him."  
  
"I'll tell him for you."  
  
"No."  
  
"What's wrong with me telling him?"   
  
"Because I don't want to love him. The last time I really ever loved anyone it hurt me. When she was killed it hurt so bad. I didn't think I could go on living. I miss her still and I promised myself that I'd never love anyone again so I would never have to feel the pain of heartache again. I knew I loved Bakura, but I didn't want to. I tried to hate him, so I beat him, because I hated loving him. But I can't get rid of my feelings for him..." More tears came.  
  
"From what I know from Yugi, Bakura lost his mother, and he loved her very much. But he still had the will to go on loving and when he met you he had someone to love again. It's the same story with different people. The only big difference is that Bakura realized that life is empty without love."  
  
Yami Bakura didn't say a thing. He just whimpered quietly.  
  
"Okay...I'll let you think it over for a little while. Tell me when you're ready to leave." Yami Yugi stood up and stepped away from Yami Bakura, but kept a close watch on him.  
  
Bakura opened his eyes. His head stung with acute pain. The first thing that ran through his mind was, 'Yami Yugi knows...'  
  
Bakura slipped out of the guestroom, even in the pain he was in, even though he was weak. He quietly left Yugi and Salomon's house and shop. He stepped out of the building and into the night air. He took a deep breath of it into his lungs but stopped after filling his lungs about half way because it made his broken ribs start to hurt. Then he quietly hustled off under the streetlamps to the alley that he and Yami Bakura had hid in.  
  
It wasn't a very noisy night. No one was on the streets either. But that made no difference to Bakura. He was set on getting to that alleyway.  
  
Bakura slipped silently between the wall and the dumpster. In the dim light of a streetlamp that flooded in through the small walkway Bakura had entered through, Bakura saw no one. He saw the same dirty puddle that waited over the clogged drain. He saw the same blood stain on the wall and a stain on the ground from where Bakura had bled. But there was no Yami Bakura.  
  
Bakura stepped back slightly, about to leave, when something shiny and metallic caught the light and attracted his attention. Bakura bent down and picked it up to get a better look at it in the dim light of the streetlamp. It was Yami Bakura's 4-inch pocketknife. The same one that Yami Bakura used to pull all of those pieces of glass out of Bakura's skin. Bakura stared at the knife for a moment and remembered something that he had thought earlier.  
  
'Why do I live? What place do I have on this earth? Clearly I am not wanted, nor needed if my life is this terrible...' But that wasn't all that Bakura thought now. He decided that he wanted to ad onto that thought. 'No one loves me. As long as I'm not hurting or bothering anyone else, who cares what I do?'  
  
Bakura looked at the knife and thought back to Yami Bakura's eyes. That wonderful place Bakura had seen. 'Lies! It was all lies! It was just an illusion. How could I be so dumb as to think that anyone could love me?'  
  
Bakura opened the pocketknife to the sharp, 4-inch blade. "I love you Yami Bakura...I wish you could have felt the same way for me..."  
  
Bakura closed his eyes and aimed the blade's sharp point at his heart. His heart trembled as he pressed the blade against his chest. He clenched his teeth and he didn't make a sound as he drove the blade into his own flesh and bone. Blood poured from the wound. Even more blood poured as the blade entered Bakura's beating heart.  
  
His hands lost their strength and his legs couldn't support his weight. He took a step back in a desperate attempt to stay standing but fell onto his back. The knife was still lodged in his chest and in his heart, but he wasn't dead yet. The handle of the knife trembled every time his heart beat. Eventually he would bleed to death, which wouldn't be too long from then. Blood poured out of the sides of the incision. He was too weak to pull the blade out of his chest and let the blood flow out quicker and easier.  
  
Nothing Bakura ever did went without suffering. Not even suicide. So he just lay there, eyes closed, a trembling knife in his chest.  
  
Yami Bakura stood up with a start. Yugi jumped back, a bit startled, he didn't know what to make of this. It surprised Yugi even more to see Yami Bakura clutch his chest and weaken in the knees while his dark eyes filled with pain.  
  
Yami Yugi rushed over and flung Yami Bakura's arm over Yami Yugi's shoulder to try to keep Yami Bakura standing. "What's wrong?! Are you okay?! What happened?!"  
  
Yami Bakura shivered and turned his head towards Yami Yugi. A painful expression took over Yami Bakura's face. "...It's...it's...Bakura..."  
  
Yami Yugi gasped and looked at Yami Bakura. 'What could Bakura have done?' thought Yami Yugi.  
  
"We must get to him..." The look of pain on Yami Bakura's face was gone and determination took its place. He threw Yami Yugi's arm off of his shoulder and the dark world around them became the alleyway once again.  
  
Yami Yugi looked down at his shoes and saw that most of the alley was flooded with blood. His eyes quickly followed the blood to its source...Bakura. His skin was as white as his hair and blood was smeared all over him. His eyes were closed but he was still alive. His chest rose and fell in a jerky manner and it seemed hard for him to breathe. The knife in his chest trembled at a quickened pace.  
  
"BAKURA!" Yami Bakura yelled, his eyes large as saucers and his face absent of color. In less then a second, Yami Bakura was kneeling next to Bakura's dying body.  
  
Bakura was still conscious because his dark, cloudy eyes opened and he looked up at his Yami. His white lips slowly drew up in a small, weak smile. "Hey, Yami..." He said quietly, which was as loud as he could get.  
  
Yami Bakura put his hand under Bakura's head and lifted it up to Yami Bakura's chest, letting Bakura lounge in his arms. "You idiot..." Yami Bakura said quietly, "What have you done to yourself?!"  
  
"No one cares about me...it'd be better for everyone if I wasn't alive, I just cause trouble..."  
  
"Bakura...I do care about you! I need you here with me..."  
  
"Yami...are you crying?"  
  
Tears were streaming down Yami Bakura's face. "Yes, Bakura." Yami Bakura said very quietly. "Yes...I am crying...for you."  
  
"No need to cry, Yami, it doesn't hurt..." Bakura knew that it was a lie, but Yami Bakura didn't need another thing to think about.  
  
Yami Bakura looked through his blurry eyes, down at Bakura's bleeding chest. He put his hand gently on the knife in Bakura's chest and felt it throb in unison with Bakura's heartbeat. Yami Bakura didn't remove it because he knew that Bakura would just die faster from a loss of blood. "It hurts me, Bakura..."  
  
Bakura was quite confused with Yami Bakura's behavior. "Yami...this makes me happy. I wont suffer ever again..."  
  
"Why?!" Yami Bakura seemed to be yelling this at himself more that at Bakura. "Why did it take me until now for me to realize that I really love you?! Why?!"  
  
Bakura's smile grew bigger and he closed his eyes again.  
  
Yami Bakura's voice got really soft. "No, Bakura. Please...don't die...don't leave me..."  
  
"Don't worry Yami...I'm just resting my eyes because I feel tired..."  
  
"We have to get you to a hospital."  
  
"No, Yami, I want you to stay with me...right here...for now..."  
  
"You're going to die Bakura..."  
  
"That's the way I want it..."  
  
"Bakura...I want you to live. Please..."  
  
Bakura hushed Yami Bakura. "Shh, Yami, it's okay..."  
  
"Bakura...please. I was wrong to have ever hurt you. I love you. Stay with me, alive."  
  
Bakura opened his eyes and looked deeply into his Yami's eyes. "My whole life was a mess. I only wanted for you to love me...it's too late for me now, though..." Tears started welling up in Bakura's eyes also.  
  
"I know, Bakura...I was wrong, but it's not too late, not yet..."  
Bakura slowly and weakly reached up with his bloody hand and touched his Yami's face. "Thank you, Yami...thank you for loving me, it's all I ever wanted...I'm just sad that I wont get to enjoy your love for much longer..."  
  
"Bakura, stop...I'm going to make sure that you live."  
  
Bakura shook his head weakly. "No...I don't have the will to continue living anyways...Please hold me, and love me so I can enjoy my last minuets..." Bakura's eyes begged for Yami Bakura's love and for his last request to be filled.  
  
More tears dripped down Yami Bakura's cheeks, but he obeyed. Yami Bakura pulled Bakura closer and held him in his arms tighter. Bakura rested his head on Yami Bakura's chest and his heavy eyelids shut over his eyes; his breathing became heavily labored.  
  
As he sat there, his dying hikari in his arms, Yami Bakura thought about what had happened, what had led to this horrific occurrence. 'If only once I had said that I loved him. If only once I had stopped beating him and thought about how much I cared about him. If only once I had thought about him before myself. If I had done any of those he wouldn't be dying. It's entirely my fault. What have I done...what have I become?!'  
  
The tears poured from Yami Bakura's eyes like the blood poured from Bakura's wounded heart. Yami Bakura felt a soft tug on his shirt collar. Yami Bakura turned and looked down at Bakura, nestled in his chest.  
  
Bakura's eyes were open. Yami Bakura looked into them, those dark cloudy orbs of pain and misery, and Bakura looked back at Yami Bakura through them.  
  
Bakura weakly put his hand behind his Yami's head and pulled Yami Bakura's face closer to his own. Bakura moved his head up slightly and whispered in Yami Bakura's ear. "I love you, Yami Bakura..."  
  
Bakura closed his heavy eyes and pressed his lips on Yami Bakura's cheek softly and soundlessly in a sweet, friendly kiss. The knife in Bakura's chest moved slowly and his breathing was almost nothing.  
  
Yami Bakura hugged Bakura as close as was possible and whispered, "Bakura, please don't go, don't leave me here, don't die. I need you because I love you..."  
  
But there was nothing Yami Bakura could do. Bakura breathed out and didn't take in another breath. His heart slowed to a halt. The knife in his chest was still. Yami Bakura the hand on the back of his head become limp and slide off, falling and splashing into the sea of blood below.  
  
Yami Bakura's heart almost stopped itself as he looked at his hikari in a slumber that he would never again awake from.  
  
Yami Yugi couldn't hold back the tears that he was holding in. The tears rolled down his face as he watched Yami Bakura look at his lifeless hikari.  
  
"I love you too, Bakura." Yami Bakura whispered quietly. He bent over and softly pressed his lips on Bakura's pale, blood covered forehead. The sparkling tears fell from Yami Bakura's eyes and mixed with Bakura's blood. There was nothing Yami Bakura could do now except for mourn, mourn the loss of the only person that ever meant anything to him, Bakura. 


	17. Dear Yami Bakura…

Chapter 17  
Dear Yami Bakura...  
  
It had been a whole week since Bakura had died. It was the morning of the funeral. A cloudy, rainy Sunday morning, it was. The rain tapped upon the window of the guestroom that Bakura had slept in only a week before.  
  
Yami Bakura fixed his black tie that went with his suit as he stood before the full-length mirror on the guestroom door. His face was pale and his eyes were weary. His hair was still somewhat of a mess. (What brush could get through that white jungle on Yami Bakura's head?)  
  
There was a knock at the door. Yami Bakura stepped back and spoke meekly, "Come in."  
  
The door opened and who stood there, but Yugi. Yami Yugi had told his little hikari the whole story of what had happened to Bakura. From there, Yugi made up a story and told his grandfather.  
  
Yugi had told Salomon that Yami Bakura was Bakura's older brother, Trevor, and was on his way to visit Bakura when he found Bakura dead in an alleyway. Yugi then convinced Salomon to allow Yami Bakura to stay. It wasn't a very good lie because Bakura didn't have an older brother, but Salomon didn't know that.  
  
Yugi too, was dressed in a suit, with a black tie and all. He was nowhere near as tired and pale as Yami Bakura, but he did look very sad and not as well rested and energetic as his usual self.  
  
"Yami Bakura...we had better get going now, if we want to get there on time." Yugi said, his voice unusually flat.  
  
Yami Bakura just gave a slight nod of his head and followed Yugi out of the guestroom, down the stairs, through the shop, and outside, where Salomon, who was also dressed in a black suit, waited in the car for them.  
  
Salomon's small red Chevy Nova rolled down the road behind the hearse that carried Bakura's coffin. Yami Bakura sat in the back seat with Yugi and stared at the rainy sky outside the windows. His eyes were too parched to cry, but on the inside he wept unconditionally.  
  
The Millennium ring was no longer of Yami Bakura's possessions. He had sold it to a pawnshop to pay for Bakura's funeral. Without Bakura, life seemed to have lost all meaning to Yami Bakura. He felt no more need to have the Millennium items.  
  
The Millennium Ring was 24 karat gold and it was an Egyptian artifact, so it had made a lot of money for Yami Bakura, but it was still only just enough to pay for the funeral, the coffin, the tomb stone, a lot, a suit for Bakura to be buried in, and a suit for Yami Bakura to go to the funeral in; and none of them were very great at all. The funeral was going to be a small Christian one (Yami Bakura didn't really know if Bakura believed in any religion anymore), the coffin was the next step up from a large crate, the tombstone was small and made of granite without much inscribed on it, and the suits were just plain black and weren't made of any special material. Salomon offered to help with the finances, but Yami Bakura had refused.  
  
The hearse finally pulled over into the church's parking lot. Salomon followed the hearse into the parking lot and parked next to it. Salomon got out of the car and pulled out a black umbrella, which he opened to keep the rain off of him. Yugi did the same. Yami Bakura got out of the car but refused to take an umbrella.  
  
'I don't deserve an umbrella,' Yami Bakura thought, 'If only it weren't just a drizzle.'  
  
4 suited men came out of the hearse and opened the back. They pulled Bakura's coffin out of the back of the hearse. They then began to carry it away, into the cemetery.  
  
Watching this almost brought Yami Bakura to tears, and probably would have if his eyes weren't so dry.  
  
Soon after, Tea, Joey, and Tristan arrived, all dressed in black suites, except Tea, who had on a black skirt and a gray blouse. With Yugi and Salomon, the 5 walked off into the graveyard after the men carrying Bakura's coffin. Yami Bakura laggard behind them, looking at the other gravestones sadly. 'I guess Bakura will be joining them now...' Yami Bakura thought to himself.  
  
The site for Bakura's gave was tucked far in the corner of the graveyard, next to a half dead tree. Not the nicest spot in the graveyard, but it was all that Yami Bakura could afford with the strict money limit he had.  
  
Yami Bakura, at last, reached Bakura's gravesite. Everyone else who had been invited to the service was already there, except for the priest. Some of them were standing, most of them were talking to one another, and practically all of them had tears in their eyes or were on the verge of tears.  
  
Next to the hole in the ground, which would soon be Bakura's eternal resting place, was Bakura's coffin. It lay shut.  
  
It wasn't long before a somewhat short plump man with short brown hair and a mustache came down the dirt road in the graveyard, straight at all of them. He wore long black robes and a gold-plated cross around his neck that swayed back and forth as he hobbled along. Under his left arm, a bible bound in a black, worn looking cover, ribbons of meaningful colors dangling from it.  
  
Everyone took a seat in one of the folding metal chairs as the man dressed in black robes took a stand at the podium in front of the grave.  
  
"Everyone," he began, "We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of a loved one and a good friend..."  
  
Practically everyone there shed at least a few tears. Even the priest seemed to make a small sobbing noise in the middle of the ceremony and the men who had brought the coffin, and were standing on each side of it, also seemed to be tearing up. Yami Bakura shed more tears then anyone else because he felt responsible for Bakura's death; the death of the only person Yami Bakura had ever loved in this lifetime. Tea was probably lost the second most amount of water through her eyes. Even though she had never gotten very close to Bakura, she was very passionate and she just couldn't help regretting that she had never had the chance to get to know him better. Next was Yugi, he cried silently and twiddled his thumbs, but he wasn't able to look at Bakura's coffin, even if it was closed. Then came the macho-men, Joey and Tristan. They both wept for Bakura as everyone else. And finally came Salomon, who only shed about 3 tears because he had seen many people die before, even though he had never known a person who had died from suicide, or had died so young.  
  
Tears poured on as the ceremony came to a close. Each tear on Yami Bakura's face felt like acid, and burned. They were the tears of sorrow, guilt, and at the same time love, which did not make a very good combination.  
  
One of the men, who had brought the coffin, opened it, for everyone to pay their last respects. Yugi went first.  
  
Yugi wandered up to Bakura's coffin and peaked inside at Bakura's body, still as sickly and as poor looking as it had been before he had died. But something was slightly surprising. His lips drew up in what looked to be a slight smile.  
  
Yugi looked at Bakura for a little while and finally began to speak. "Well, Bakura...it looks like no one can..." He sobbed but continued. "...No one can hurt you anymore..." He then began crying hysterically and Salomon had to rush up and help Yugi away from Bakura's coffin.  
  
Next was Tea. She went up and leaned over Bakura's coffin. "I wish I had gotten to know him more before he died. I'm sorry I missed the chance." She wiped some of the tears from her eyes.  
  
One of her tears fell and landed on Bakura's face. She put her hand on his face to wipe the tear away, but as soon as her skin made contact with his, she stopped moving as strange thoughts and feeling, alien to her, ran through her head.  
  
She looked at Bakura, and even in the sorry condition his body was in, she understood why a lot of girls had flocked around him at school. She had never noticed this in him before, but he was actually quite an attractive boy.  
  
Not knowing what she was doing, she brought her face closer to his. Quietly she pressed her warm lips against Bakura's cold, dead ones and kissed him. Realizing what she was doing, she pulled away. She looked back at the others there, and they all stared at her with wide eyes and strange looks on their faces.  
  
Tea blushed promptly and stepped away from Bakura's coffin to let the next people to go. Joey and Tristan went up at the same time and they both took a look at Bakura's corpse.  
  
Tristan was the first to talk, "Wow...this is creepy...I've never seen a real dead body before, and it's even creepier because it's some one I knew."  
  
Joey wiped his eyes. "Yeah, it is..." Joey looked at Bakura sadly and there was a strange moment before he shouted at Bakura's body, "Why'd ya have ta go and kill yourself, ya idiot! Didn't ya know that we cared about ya?!"  
  
Tristan put his hand on Joey's shoulder. "Easy, buddy. Yelling at him wont help any of us."  
  
"You're right, but what really gets to me is that we never got a good chance to find out what he was really like."  
  
"He seemed like such a great guy..."  
  
"...Goodbye, Bakura. We'll miss ya, buddy." Joey turned and walked away from Bakura's coffin with his head down, Tristan followed him closely, his head was down too; both of them were hiding their tears obviously.  
  
Finally it was Yami Bakura's turn to pay his respects, and his apologies. He didn't want to face Bakura, even now, only as an empty body, but at the same time he did. He thought for a moment and made his decision clear. Stepping up to Bakura's coffin, Yami Bakura peered inside.  
  
The sight of Bakura, so peacefully resting was a reliving sight to Yami Bakura, but also an upsetting one. The tears on his face felt as if they were making hot imprints in his skin as he stared at the lifeless body of his once sweet hikari.  
  
Yami Bakura reached into the coffin and took hold of one of Bakura's hands, cold as stone and just as hard. Yami Bakura rubbed his thumb back and forth on the battered skin on the back of Bakura's hand.  
  
It hurt Yami Bakura's eyes to cry even more but he did so. He wanted to speak but couldn't find the words to say, so he just continued to stroke Bakura's hand. Until finally he was able to let out his feelings, "Bakura...I...I...I'm sorry for the monster I've become, I'm sorry for what I did to you. It's my fault you are here. My fault you are dead..." He sniveled. "I am already dying from a broken heart. I don't expect I'll live past a week; I haven't eaten or slept since you died. It took me thousands of years to get a body of my own, and it will take less then 2 weeks to destroy it. But I've found life isn't worth living without you so I don't care about what happens to me. Without you, nothing matters, I feel so incomplete. There's no hope, no good, no tomorrow without you, just pain and guilt. I will keep you in my heart for all eternity, even as I burn in the fiery depths of Hell. I love you Bakura." He stood up and turned away from Bakura's coffin, the tears still coming from his desiccated eyes. Without looking back, he walked away, over to Yugi who was recovering from his outburst of tears earlier.  
  
Yugi looked up at Yami Bakura's face. "You loved him more then you could love anyone else, didn't you?" He seemed unaware that this question was very upsetting to Bakura's Yami.  
  
"More then it's possible to love anyone. When you only have one person to love, they make a much greater impact on you. When they are gone, there's nothing left for you. That is one reason why I hate love." He said trying to keep his voice from breaking or from bursting into tears. He sat in a chair next to Yugi and closed his eyes with a deep sigh.  
  
Yugi looked at Yami Bakura for a moment and then crawled into the grieving Yami's lap. This was quite strange to Yami Bakura and he opened his eyes and looked at the short boy now sitting in his lap.  
  
Yugi laid his head on Yami Bakura's chest and didn't move. This confused Yami Bakura further, what was this boy attempting?  
  
Finally Yami Bakura asked out of curiosity, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Yami Bakura..." Yugi replied but paused a moment before continuing. "I can hear your heart beating."  
  
"Isn't it supposed to do that?" Yami Bakura asked.  
  
Yugi sat up and looked Yami Bakura in the face. "Yami told me that you and him were only spirits and you didn't have bodies, that's why you needed to use Bakura and my body. If you didn't have a body, where would you keep a heart?"  
  
"I have my own body now."  
  
"How did you find one that looked exactly like your spirit?"  
  
"It's my body, the Millennium ring created it for me."  
  
"Really? Do you think my Yami's Millennium puzzle could create one for Yami?"  
  
"A spirit has to be complete before a Millennium item can give it a body. The Millennium item then becomes powerless, giving all of its magic up to create the spirit's new body. Not like I deserved it. I would have died with Bakura if I hadn't gained a damn body." Yami Bakura said.  
  
"I wish my Yami had a body of his own. What does a spirit need to be complete?"  
  
"I'm not really sure..." Just then something struck Yami Bakura's mind like a hammer strikes a nail. Before he had said: 'Without you, nothing matters, I feel so incomplete.' The answer was Bakura. Bakura was the one that made Yami Bakura complete, but how could this be? He would have had a body as soon as the ring was given to Bakura.  
  
Right before the ring had given Yami Bakura a body, Yami Bakura had asked Bakura if he loved him, to which Bakura's reply was basically yes. Yami Bakura had loved Bakura all along but not been sure if Bakura loved him or not. The true answer was love. It was the love that Bakura and Yami Bakura shared that had completed Yami Bakura's spirit and enabled the Millennium ring to have the ability to give Yami Bakura a body all his own. "...It's love."  
  
"Love?" Yugi questioned.  
  
"The love shared between a Yami and Hikari helps complete the Yami's spirit..."  
  
By the podium, Salomon conversed with the priest.  
  
"So, he just committed suicide out of nowhere?" The priest asked.  
  
"Actually, no. When he first came to Yugi and I he was in pretty bad condition, cuts and scars all over the place, and he was practically a mummy wrapped in all that gauze. He worked really hard at my shop in exchange for a place to stay because he said he couldn't stay with his aunt. The poor kid didn't want to eat a thing." Salomon reflected back to the week before.  
  
"So he was in pretty bad condition."  
  
"Yes, and while I was reading the paper one morning, I had found out he had been the boy in that car accident with the train a little while ago."  
  
The priest seemed slightly astonished. He walked over to the coffin and took a better look at Bakura's body. "Oh my goodness...I was there! I saw the boy and offered to take him to the hospital but he refused me and ran away. He must have been in a horrible condition when he came to you."  
  
"He was. And when Yugi saw the newspaper article he began to cry and told me that Bakura was planning suicide. The next day he saved my Yugi's life and suffered 3 broken ribs. I saw him the day afterwards and that was the last time I saw him alive."  
  
"Oh my!"  
  
The funeral was over in not too long and everyone had gone back to his or her dwellings.  
  
The sky was overcast and very dark by this time and the drizzle had become much harder. The sky boomed and a streak of light split the heavens.  
  
Yami Bakura sat alone in the guestroom on the bed. It was very dark in the room, except for when the lightning flashed in through the window and he didn't bother himself with turning on any lights. He stared out the window at the dark, swirling clouds, almost seeming entranced by them; he barely even blinked.  
  
A small amount of light was let into the room as the door cracked open. Yugi peeked in the guestroom at Yami Bakura, who didn't seem aware of Yugi's presence. Yugi opened the door and walked in. Still, Yami Bakura didn't do as much as twitch a muscle. Still as stone, he stared at the clouds as they threatened the whole town with its dazzling lightning.  
  
Yugi cleared his throat to get Yami Bakura's attention, but Yami Bakura continuously stared out the window, lost in thought and mind. Yugi climbed onto the bed and up to Yami Bakura, then tugged upon Yami Bakura's sleeve. Yami Bakura's arm flinched of surprise as soon as Yugi tugged, bringing Yami Bakura back to Earth. He looked at Yugi.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you, Yami Bakura. But...but there's something of Bakura's that I think you should see." Yugi climbed off the bed and over to the nightstand. Yami Bakura turned his head and watched Yugi.  
  
Yugi kneeled down and looked under the bed. "I put it down here for safe keeping. I was going to give it to you when you were ready, and I think that time is now." Yugi stood back up with a book in black, tattered, leather bindings.  
  
"I kind of..." Yugi looked a little guilty. "I kind of read part of it..." Yugi placed the book on the bed and slid it toward Yami Bakura.  
  
"Is this...?" Yami Bakura couldn't quite finish his question.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Yami Bakura ran his fingers over the scruffy leather covering. "I shouldn't read it, it was his personal property."  
  
"I think he wanted you to read it. There's a note inside that is addressed to you. It's on the last pages he wrote on."  
  
Yami Bakura picked up the book that had once been Bakura's private journal and he looked at it, but he did not open it. "Thank you, Yugi..."  
  
Yugi nodded his head; "I'll let you read it in peace." Yugi walked to the door and flicked the light switch on. The room filled with the bright rays of the light bulb. Yugi left the room and closed the door behind him.  
  
Yami Bakura's heart pounded in his ears as he touched the rugged bindings. He opened to the cover page and his heart was still for a moment. On the cover page were the words: 'Standard Journal, Property of...' and there was a space for a name. In the space, in Bakura's handwriting, was Bakura's first and last name, Bakura Ryou.  
  
Yami Bakura took the corner of the fraying, water stained page and turned it, revealing the first entry Bakura had ever written in his journal. He began reading it in his head, not skimming, but actually reading every single word on the page.  
  
Yami Bakura read the pages of the journal for hours upon hours. Some parts were slightly boring, others almost cracked a grin on Yami Bakura's face, while most, especially toward the end, upset him, angered him, made him cry.  
  
It was almost midnight when Yami Bakura finally reached the last entry. He had read nonstop, not even taking a moment's break. This was finally it, the last few pages that contained writing:  
  
'Dear Yami Bakura,  
  
I welcome you to my journal. Here's where I've been recording my life for the last couple of years. My thoughts, my hopes, my dreams, along with events that have happened in my life. All of those things you'll find in here, but if you've already read it then you already know.  
  
I'm writing you this letter to tell you all the things I've been too afraid to tell you to your face.  
  
First of all, I love you Yami. No matter what you've done to me I'll still always love you. All I've ever wanted was for you to love me. Even if you beat me, knowing that you loved me was enough to keep my heart beating.  
  
You yourself told me I was lower then dirt. You were right as you always are. Who could love me? I was foolish to think I could get you to love me. I bet my parents didn't even want me. I never liked myself anyways so I guess life doesn't really matter, does it?  
  
I don't believe I have any real friends. Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, all of them, they are only nice to me out of pity. I am a pretty pitiful excuse for a person. Am I even a person? You don't seem to think so. I don't think so either. I am not treated as such.  
  
Do you believe in destiny? I don't know what I believe anymore, but if my life is as horrible as it is then I don't see a reason to live. As long as I'm not hurting or bothering anyone else, no one cares what I do. I wish I couldn't feel emotions. You're right, they do make me weak.  
  
I idolize you, Yami Bakura. You're like a father figure to me. Nothing bothers you; you could care less about what anyone else thinks about you. I know you hate love over all other emotions, and you've driven me to hate love too. But I can't help but have this feeling for you. It's not something you can just get rid of. I wish it were, it's broken my heart so many times before.  
  
I know you gained a body. What spirit eats, sleeps, and has a pulse without a body? If you have a body I don't have to worry about taking you with me when I die.  
  
I don't think too much of this matters anymore. My time is running out. I know I am going to die from starvation, wounds, but over all, a broken heart. No one cares about my existence; I don't need to be. I was just a mistake when I was born. Nothing matters to me anymore. My last and only hope is that you are happy when I die.  
  
I love you Yami...'  
  
Bakura's signature was at the bottom of the page and that was the last that was written in the old book.  
  
A tear hit the page and landed on Bakura's signature, smudging it. "Oh, Bakura..." Yami Bakura whimpered softly. If he had known about the entry he would have been able to stop Bakura before he took his own life.  
  
Yami Bakura put the book down and slid off the bed, standing with his head down. He felt his knees weaken and he fell into a kneeling position. Bakura was gone forever and noting could be done. Yami Bakura's heart ached. It had been him, he had drove Bakura to death.  
  
Yami Bakura let out loud sobs and snivels as tears rained down from his face to the floor below him. It seemed to him, as he had never cried so hard before.  
  
Small feet made quick footsteps down the hall headed for the guestroom door. Yami Bakura immediately stopped bellowing and stood; tears were still coming. Stumbling over to the door, he locked it. The knob trembled and clinked as the person on the other side tried to open the door.  
  
Yugi's voice called from the other side of the door, "Yami Bakura! What's going on it there?! Are you okay?!"  
  
Yami Bakura looked quickly around the room. Seeing the window he headed for it and slid it open. He climbed out and grasped a hold of the gutter, which was, luckily, strongly fastened to the building.  
  
The rain came down quickly and heavily along with small hailstones. The rain stung and the hailstones pelted Yami Bakura's skin as he began to pull himself onto the roof. The rain was freezing, even if it was summer, and summer is the time when it hails the most. The wind pushed upon Yami Bakura's body but he held fast.  
  
Yugi had just unlocked the guestroom door with a key when Yami Bakura had pulled himself onto the roof.  
  
Yugi looked around the room for Yami Bakura and saw the window open. "He couldn't have...he would have!" Yugi ran to the window and looked at the street below.  
  
The fall wasn't much more then 20 feet and Yami Bakura was well built, so he wouldn't have gotten much of an injury. Yugi brought his head back in and closed the window. "He's gone..."  
  
Yami Bakura sat on the highest part of the roof and stared at the black and dark gray clouds swirl above his head.  
  
'If only my heart weren't so cold, if only I had known, if only...if only... 'ifs' aren't good enough. I need Bakura and 'ifs' wont bring him back to me. I will be forced to live forever without him. Without the only person that meant something to me, what is life?'  
  
Yami Bakura said the simple words that he'd wanted to say to Bakura but had never been able to, and it tore into his heart like a knife. "Bakura, with all of my heart...I love you."  
  
THE END 


	18. Author's Note

Author's Note:  
  
OH MY GOD! I FINISHED IT!!! 'NEVER DOUBT THE HEART OF A YAMI' IS FINALLY COMPLETE!!! But is it really over? Is that it? Bakura's dead and Yami Bakura will spend the rest of his miserable life in agony over Bakura's death? Well, I have one word for you. SEQUEL! That's right! There's a sequel to this fic and it is called, 'Yami Bakura's Dark Past'. So if you like Yami Bakura and want to know how and why he lost his heart (well, my version of it anyways) then you can read the sequel. Also, Bakura plays a key role in it at the end so you haven't seen the last of that cute little bishounen.  
  
On another note, I beg for your forgiveness for taking so long to complete this fic. It's been hectic for me with school, and friends, and other fics, and writer's block, and every other possible thing you can imagine. Not to mention I am lazy. But I promise to try harder. I just hope it isn't too late and I didn't loose of my wonderful fans because I love all of them soooooooo much!  
  
Well, I hope you had as fun reading this fic as I had writing it, maybe even more so. (Yes, I really liked writing this fic. 'Twas fun, even if it did get a little rough along the way.)  
  
I want to thank all of my fans and friends who supported me through this fic. We've come a long way, and I can't actually believe that it's over now. But hey, a new journey's about to begin, the writing of the sequel, and the whole thing's gonna start all over. Oh boy. Well, I'm sure I'll have just as much fun, yay!  
  
My last request, and the request I've been requesting all along is that if you liked my fics and think you know someone else who would enjoy them as well to recommend my fics to them because I LOVE reviews.  
  
Well, I guess this is it. I'm just wasting your time now. So I shall say my goodbyes.  
  
All of you who stuck with me, I LOVE YOU! Best wishes for all. GOOOOOOOOOODBYE!  
  
With lots of love and happiness for all,  
  
*~*~*Bishie Babe*~*~* 


End file.
